I'll Be There
by Wicked Falcon
Summary: Natasha and Clint have been through a lot in their partnership and now there is more surprises in store for them. Things that they could only dream about but never have. Can they rally with the help of their teammates to finally have what they dreamed about? Or will it just to turn to ashes in their hands? Please read and review.
1. Hope

**Disclaimer: I don't own nothing and certainly none of these characters. They belong to their respective owners and whatnot.**

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**Chapter 1: Hope.**

_**H**_er stomach was queasy as she glanced once more into the regions of the toilet that should not be closely inspected by any human being. Running her hand through her short hair as she braced herself once more against the bowl as her thin shoulders shook with the effort of trying to empty her stomach contents. She could feel sweat beading on her forehead as she closed her eyes and started to count to ten before she slid down onto the floor. All her energy spent from her morning ritual of emptying her stomach. She knew the signs but disbelief coursed through her veins. It should not have been possible with the amount of modifications and damage that her body had taken. But yet, she rested her hand on her stomach, gently cupping the growing life that her body now held.

Abortion did not even cross her mind. How could she even think that she could get rid of the only thing that held a little bit of him? The tears slipping silently down her pale cheeks as she leaned her head back against the wall. Her eyes still closed against the fresh onslaught of pain that was piercing her in the region of her heart; pulling her knees to her chest as she rested her forehead upon them. Her mind pulling her back to the morning that he left her, quiet and pliant amongst the rumbled sheets. His callous fingers dancing along her spine as his lips followed as he murmured promises of return before capturing her lips in a searing kiss that lead them down the path of last night activities. A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips before she wiped at her eyes and forced herself into a standing position in front of the bathroom mirror.

Natasha took a careful look in the mirror at herself, taking notice of the weight that she had lost from the news that she had received not four weeks beforehand that her partner, Hawkeye, had been killed in action. The dread filled her stomach as she thought about it when she rubbed at her arms. She was at a complete lost on what she was meant to do. She felt she could not properly mourn because Clint's body was never formally identified among the dead. She was in a complete no man's land, neither here nor there, at present. But she was certain on the only thing that her body was saying but her mind was trying so hard to deny. Natasha splashed some water over her face to hide the fact that she was not sleeping as well as she should have been and she had been crying.

It was time for her to face reality and start to get on with her life as best as she could. But first, she needed to confirm what she instinctively already knew. Quickly, she rinsed her mouth and ran a comb through her shorten locks. She walked out of the bathroom as she snagged the first article of clothing that she could find and tugged them up and over her body before she stepped through her door in search for the resident doctor, Bruce; rolling her eyes when she did finally found him sitting at his desk in one of the labs.

"What can I do you for, Natasha?" Bruce hummed as he continued to stared down through the microscope. His fingers adjusting the settings before he briefly looked up and jotted a notation down on his pad beside him before he placed his pen down and folded his arms. His rich chocolate eyes rested upon her as she shifted around on her feet.

"I think I'm pregnant!" Natasha blurted out before she started chewed her inner cheek which was most unusual for her. She was never this nervous before but she never did think that she would have been in this situation. She had seen how Bruce's brows drew together as he tried to comprehend what she was saying.

"Well, it wasn't me." A smile played with the corner of his lips before he unfolded his arms and walked over to a cabinet. Shifting a few things around before sighing as he pulled what he was looking for out.

"That would be an impossible feat." Natasha retorted with some heat to her voice. The mental shaking was going away now that she had let someone else in on her secret.

"And we just won't mention that a certain archer who would have had me pinned to the wall in a heartbeat." Bruce smirked as he patted the area beside him. "There's two ways we can do this, blood or urine." He carefully watched her mouth move into a thin line at the mere mention of needles. He could understand her utter distasteful stance on the subject, especially after being used as a pin cushion. "How long do you think that you are?"

"I don't know. Obviously more than four weeks." Natasha bit out. She really didn't like where the conversation was heading. "What's the difference?" She placed her elbow on the table and rested her chin in her cupped hand.

"Well, with blood we can get a base line on what is happening and start to monitor you from there. I realise that this is an impossible situation to be in but we have to make sure that the baby will be delivered to full term or not."

"Okay." She huffed as she held her arm out for the blood to be taken.

"I want to run full blood work to see what vitamins and minerals that you would be needing as the pregnancy progressed. We need to also get your weight as well to make sure that you're gaining the correct amount." Bruce muttered off as he carefully drew the desired amount that he would need for the tests. He would only like to do this once if he was able too. He could feel the daggers that Natasha was throwing at him.

"So how long does it take?" Natasha murmured at she glanced down into her lap. She could already feel herself getting nervous. This was another completely foreign emotion to her. Her brows drew down as she pondered on this thought.

"Considering where we are," Bruce glanced around at the state-of-the-art technology that surrounded him. "We can confirm your pregnancy in about an hour. The rest should only take a couple of days." He frowned for a moment as he continued to watch her. A sudden feeling of primal protectiveness flooded his body as the Hulk made his decision known, which in turn, made Bruce uncomfortable at the flaring sensation.

"That is good." Natasha hummed absently as she watched her fingers lock and unlock before she glanced up and pierced Bruce with her intensive expression. One that Bruce gathered that she had picked up from Clint when he had been alive. "What am I going to do?" She whispered distraughtly as she quickly stood up and started to pace the floor.

"What do you want to do?" Bruce hedged. He had been in these situations before but never when the other parent was gone. It was strange watching such a strong person slowly fall into themselves.

"I'm not made to do this. I was never created to give life, only to take it." Natasha's shoulders slump as she turned to look at Bruce with pleading eyes. Bruce could understand where she was coming from.

"Do you think that Clint thought that when he gave you a second chance at life?" Bruce slowly stood up before going around the counter and leaning a hip against it as his arms folding across his chest as he lifted his brow up and waited for her to answer his question.

"No one knows what that crazy male was thinking at the time." Natasha spluttered as her cheeks slightly tinged with red. She knew well and proper what he had been thinking in that dark mind of his; the dark attraction that seemed to simmer deeply for each other. The dancing flight or fight instincts with the innuendos and sexual tension that swirled around them as they traded blow for blow. The atmosphere heating up with each moment until he had her pinned to the wall with a strong forearm to her throat and his breath heavy against her ear. That was when she realised she was truly in danger when a sharp tingle flared down her spine to rest in her nether regions.

"But you sure did." Bruce chuckled at the dark glance she shot his way. "I'm a male. I have an inkling of what he was thinking." He shrugged his shoulders unapologetic as he stood up straight again.

"You have been spending too much time with Tony." Natasha muttered as she briefly closed her eyes against his probing ones.

"Really, wouldn't have noticed." Bruce smirked as she threw another glare at him. "Anyway, I love this bantering but I need you to step on those scales for me." He indicated them with the direction of his finger.

"Why?" Natasha asked as she stalked over to the scales and eyed them like an enemy that they were.

"Once again, we need a base line to begin somewhere to monitor how your body is dealing with the baby." Bruce stated in his ever patient way as he watch Natasha step onto them and groaned when she see her weight.

"So in other words, I'll be watched closely." Natasha muttered darkly as she turned her heated gaze upon Bruce. Who in turn only raised his eyebrows and waited for her to say her weight back to him. "Weight is 45 kilograms."

"You have lost some weight but that was to be expected." Bruce clucked his tongue as he quickly wrote it down before staring at her again. "I need you to start moderating your alcohol intake and eating more healthy. You need to gain the weight back that you have lost. How are you sleeping?" He scribbled some more.

"When I can." Natasha murmured as she lowered her head down. She did not want to speak about the nightmares that kept her awake at night.

"As long as you are able to get your bare minimum! I can't ask for anymore than that." Bruce nodded his head. He knew that she would look after herself. "As you already know that you will be feeling sick and these times, may or may not, be mornings only. May I suggest crackers in the mornings before getting out of bed to help with the morning sickness? There is a possibly that the tiredness may increase and your body will become hyper sensitive as well." He racked his brain for more information that she may need.

"Is that all?" Natasha asked as she stepped off the scales. Her stomach was starting to growl and she still needed to begin her morning routine. Though, she would now have to take it a little easier if the results turned out to be positive.

"Yeah, I think." Bruce scratched at the back of his head.

"You know to keep this to yourself for now." Natasha warned just as she stepped through the door and made her way to the kitchen to find herself something to eat. Bruce shook his head before he started to analysis her blood work and contemplate about the impossible situation that they all face now; possibly a pregnant Natasha with no Clint in sight. He shuddered slightly at that thought.

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He was officially killed in action. At least this way, he could save them from the monster that lurked deep within; the beast that only came out to play whenever Hawkeye was needed. The cruel and unfeeling person that he had became when he had to take the shot. He did not have that inner struggle of debating with himself on the rights and wrongs of his job. He was a proficient assassin. He enjoyed his work and that was until Loki came into his already twisted life and jacked knifed it into something that he could barely comprehend anymore. Sure, he finally got to taste and feel Natasha's skin but he had crossed a line that he promised himself when he first went up against her. He would not betray her trust like he did.

He cursed himself as he punched his pillow into submission. He really needed to get his mind from the last time that he saw her and how she looked against his sheets. The light from dawn's fingers skimming along her curves as her pouty lips were opened slightly as she softly drew a breath into her lungs. He just could not help himself as he lightly traced her spine with his callous fingers. Whispering words that he knew he had no right to speak and promise to her, of all people. Watching her squirm awake as he gently roused her back into the land of the living before he sent her back into the heavens with his hands, mouth and body.

One thing that he could be happy about was the modifications done to Natasha body. Otherwise, he would not have taken the risk that he did. A small smirk played on his lips as his hands pillowed his head. His mind drifted back to the examination room when she first came in to be processed and the feelings of being appalled by having that decision forcibly taken away from her. No one had that right and he had never pressed the matter with her. No one lived long in their line of work. There was always someone out to get you and that was what you had to live with. He chuckled darkly at the first moment that he had laid eyes on Natasha. The flowing lines as she moved with grace as she worked the room, getting closer to her target. The way that she had fought him with everything that she had. He had finally meet a kindred soul; someone that he could call his own.

She was his equal, his mate, and there was nothing that he could do about that. So he did the next best option that was opened to him and he became her best friend in a life that was new and exciting to her. It took time to build that trust between them, to have that comfort zone where they could be themselves and not the masks that they put on for the world to see. They were together in every sense of word but the physical sense with no matter how much he wished differently. Natasha just never seemed ready to begin anything with him, so, he waited for her. Kept his silence and locked away whatever weak emotions that he held for her. Knowing that one day she would allow him to be what he wanted to be, her mate; someone that she would be able to trust and call her own.

And when that day finally had come, he left her alone and hurt to fulfil the mandate that the council wanted; his life. So Fury, not wanting to lose a brilliant asset went about making sure that Hawkeye was dead. Staging the explosion was easy but getting out of the country without the council still knowing that he was walking and breathing had proven to be difficult. Clint Barton had been retired permanently to the wilds of Alaska. He was just thankful that he already had a cabin hidden deep within the mountains. Completely and utterly off the grid. Just the way Nat and he had discussed on a number of occasions had they been able to get out of the game. Squeezing his eyes closed as the wall of pain hit his chest. It was a lonely existence but that was the price he paid to protect those that he loved most dearly.

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"Hey, has anyone seen Natasha?" Bruce stuck his head into the kitchen but only seem to find Steve standing at the sink as he gulped down the glass of water. Lifting his brow up as Steve held up one finger. "You want me to wait?"

"No, she's in Clint's room. Well, that is where the music is coming from." Steve shrugged a broad shoulder as he quickly rinsed the glass out and placed it on the drainer to dry. "She seems to be very quiet today but I'm glad that she came out of the room. I wonder if she'll be up for a sparring session later on?" He muttered to himself as he turned and walked out of the room. Bruce's jaw had dropped to the ground as he watched the broad back of Steve Rogers disappearing around the door jam.

"Okay!" Bruce murmured as he lifted his brows up and down before giving himself a big shake before going back to his mission of finding Natasha Romanoff, who it had seemed that she did not want to be found, since he had already looked into Clint's room first. He mentally ticked off the places that he had already been . . ."You idiot." Turning on his heels and headed straight for the roof to a certain perch of a Hawk.

"Bruce." Natasha called lightly from the spot that she laid hidden in. Her head peering down at him before she flipped herself out of the nest and down onto the ground, making the Hulk growl at her intentions. His skin was starting to take on a slightly greenish tinged to it. "Don't worry. See no hurt." She held her arms out and slowly turned in a circle to show that she had no harm done to her. "Sorry Bruce."

"That is fine. It seems that you might have someone that will be highly protective of you." Bruce smiled at the irony of the situation that the rage monster wanted to protect a life. It was proof on how far the Hulk had come in his growth. Sure he was still simmering with rage and hatred but it was more focused now and a little less destructive. "Do you want to go somewhere more private?" His tone hinting at the news that he was delivering.

"Sure." Natasha murmured as she made her way down into Clint's room, sitting on the edge of his bed as she clasped her hands together and placed them between her knees. There were boxes laying around as his closet was opened to reveal the contents to be moved into those boxes.

"It's positive, Natasha. Congratulations." Bruce stood there and waited for the fireworks to begin. He was expecting an explosion to happen as he delivered the news that she was expecting but had been hoping that it was all a terrible dream.

"Oh my!" Natasha whispered as her shoulders slumped forward. Well, she was expecting that but still, it was highly unexpected. She would try to figure that statement out later as she continued to stare at Bruce like he had grown another head. "I don't know what to say."

"Yeah, I figured that one out." Bruce smiled as he tilted his head with a flickering moment of concern at her deathly pale face as she continued to stare at him. "You're going to be alright?"

"Soon." Natasha stated as she swallowed the information and processed it. Not really liking what she came up with but she would play the hand that she had been dealt with. In effect it was a miracle that she had conceived at all and she was not going to turn her nose up at this. Had it been anyone else's child and the results would have been very much different. "Can we find out the gender of the baby?"

"Yeah. Sure. We can." Bruce eyes widen as she stood up quickly before her eyes rolled back up into her head, making him run the short distance to catch her body with a Hulk bellow for good measure. Bruce groaned at this as it would make it difficult in keeping her secret if this was how the Hulk reacted.

"What's going on?" Steve was the first one through the door with his shield strapped to his wrist. Tony was panting behind him as he eyed the situation before them. Natasha groaned as she held her head for a moment.

"Easy, big boy!" Natasha croaked at the tightening of Bruce's arms around her ribs. "What happened?"

"You fainted and the Other Guy didn't like it." Bruce was not going to say that it was his way of asking for assistance. A smirk played upon her lips. The jig was up already.

"Why would she faint? You don't have germs, do you?" Tony practically back-pedalled out the door as Natasha smiled evilly at him.

"Yeah, it'll come to get you." She retorted as Bruce laid her gently on the bed. Her smile was full of sharp and pointed teeth. "Get back here, Tony." She called out. "I'm pregnant." She whispered as the room grew silent.

"I didn't know that you were with someone." Steve muttered as he glanced at her in his own bewildered way.

"Oh, that's rich!" Tony smirked as his head came through the door way. "And who plays the lucky papa?" He eyed the two men before him. "I know it wasn't me," He tilted his head for a moment before tacking on. "Because Pepper would seriously maim me."

"You really can be a moron!" Natasha snarled at him as she pulled her upper lip back. She was getting ready to flay him alive. It had been a while since she skinned someone. She was pretty sure she could still remember.

"Take your head out and think logically for a moment." Bruce puffed a breath out before taking his glasses off and rubbed at the corners of his eyes, praying for the strength not to strangle the man that stood before him.

"Well, it's not Thor." Tony stated as he rubbed his hands together. "We haven't seen him in a couple of months. Not since he took Loki back to Asgard." Which really only left one other possibility. "Clint?" A look of complete disbelief washed over his face. "Legolas? Really?"

"Yes, the child that I carry is his." Natasha hissed through her teeth at him as her accent bleed through with her words. This would have been a clear indicator to Clint to remove himself from the impending danger that was a very angered Nat. Tony not so much before he realised his mistake and ducked his head in time as a knife went flying in his direction.

"Hey, that's not nice." Tony whined from his position on the ground, carefully looking up at the upset woman on the bed.

"Next time, I won't miss." Natasha hissed as she closed her eyes. It had been an emotional draining day and she had no more tolerance to deal with Tony and his stupid questions.

"Looking we'll let you rest and than you can find out about the gender of the child. Sound like a plan?" Steve offered up in the silence as he watched the greenish tinged leave Bruce's skin, putting his hand down for Tony to grab onto as he was hauled back to his feet. "And Tony, next time, keep your mouth shut." He shook his head as they left the room.

Natasha closed her eyes as she shifted upon Clint's bed. Tears clung to her lashes as she rubbed her face into the pillow while laying a hand on her stomach, breathing in deeply as she done something that she had never done before. She spoke to Clint like he was standing there waiting. Her lips trembled as she spoke her words to him out loud:

"I'm sorry but I'm keeping it, Clint. It is all I have left and I'm being selfish for once and not following the rules."

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So let me know what you think. Should I continue or not? So until next time, have a good one! ;D


	2. Friendship

Okay, here is the second chapter finally. I apologise for the false start but it seemed that it did not want to load up. I would like to thank everyone that has reviewed, favourite and followed the story so far. Hopefully, you will enjoy to this chapter.

**disclaimer:**. I do not own anything and only borrowing them for a little while.

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**Chapter 2: Friendship**

**N**atasha groaned as she rubbed at her eyes while she pushed the pillow that she had been hugging away from her. She knew she had been sleeping but her body still did not feel rested. She rolled over onto her back as she craned her neck to look at the alarm clock on the side of Clint's bed. Her head falling back down onto the pillow when she realised that it was only three in the morning. _Great!_ She thought as she grabbed a pillow and shoved it over her face and inhaled the lingering scent that was Clint. Without too much forethought on her behalf as she sat straight up when her world instantly started to tilt off its axis and the room spun around making her groan at her own foolishness. Natasha figured she would never get use to that horrible feeling of being disorientated for the one thing that she most prided herself on was her self-control. Stark was not included in that assessment and if he kept pulling those snide remarks, well than, she would not be held accountable for her actions toward him.

"Come on. Let's have a shower and see if we can not become more human again." She rubbed her hand over her lower stomach with some traces of disbelief. She figured that it would take some time to get use to the idea that she now held an innocent life within her body. That penetrating thought alone was very scary and left her with an uncertain future due to the doubts that were already starting to occupy her mind with. Swinging her body around as she threw her legs over the bed and sat haunch over as she waited for the room to stop spinning and her stomach to settle back down once again.

"May I be able to render you some assistance, Agent Romanoff?" Jarvis voice cut smoothly through the room as Natasha waved him off with her hand.

"No, thank you and, Jarvis?" Natasha muttered as she slowly pushed herself into a standing position as her eyes slowly adjusted to the dimming lights as she made her way to the closet and grabbed some of Clint's clothing.

"Yes, ma'am?" Jarvis enquired. Natasha could well imagine him standing there with his eyebrow raised waiting for her to continue.

"Drop the agent part." She breathed out as she turned around to survey the room and all the boxes that sat waiting to be filled with his belongings. Natasha was unsure at the moment if she had the heart to remove him from her surroundings.

"Certainly, Ms. Romanoff." Jarvis replied back which made Natasha groaned because it was just like talking to Tony but only more robotic with manners. She shrugged her shoulders as she left it at that. She had managed to get him that far and she was not going to make more problems by arguing with a computer. No matter how much he makes life easier. See, she still had some form of common sense left.

She stepped into the bathroom as she gazed at the assortment of products that Clint used when he was not on mission. Natasha leaned against the hand basin as she peered carefully at her face to see if there were any changes that could be detected. The bags underneath her eyes were looking better after having a dreamless night. There was a hint of colour to her cheeks and also a decidable mysterious twinkle in her eyes that read: She had a secret to share but no one was going to know it until she was ready. Natasha sighed as she pushed her hand through her hair and held it back from her face as she stuck her tongue out.

Laughing softly at her ridiculous pose in the mirror, she decided that it was time to have that shower. Turning around before she reached into the cubical to set the correct temperature, her eyes caught sight of a piece of paper that was sticking out of his pants which happened to be lying in a crumpled heap on the floor. She lowered her body down onto the ground as she leaned forward to reach for his pants. Her very nimble fingers making light work of the paper as she unfolded it and scanned the wording on the paper. Her heart was sitting up within her throat as she swallowed hard against the forming lump that was about to take up residence there. Tears started sliding down her cheeks as she scanned the words on the paper.

A heart wrenching scream of denial left her voice raw and ragged as she slid sidewards against the wall and laid down upon the cold tile floor. The letter hung limply within her grasp as she stared uncomprehendingly at the wall in front of her. Natasha never heard the bathroom door opened or the sharp intake of breaths as they saw her prone body against the wall. Her red hair splayed out like it was blood. The page laying on the ground beside her as she muttered softly in her native tongue. Bruce was the first to reach her side with caution as he gentle placed a hand on her shoulder while saying her name. Her dying orbs flicking briefly to his eyes as she continued to quietly mutter to herself.

"Oh!" Bruce uttered as soon as he seen who's handwriting it was. Gingerly he picked up the letter and handed it to Steve. "Read it please."

"Sure. No problem." Steve grabbed the paper and cleared his throat before skimming the wording along the page. "Dear Nat. . ." Steve started.

"That's never good." Tony muttered before cringing at the telling glance he was receiving from Pepper. "Well, it's the truth. Ouch." He rubbed his arm as he quickly shot her a wounded look.

"Still. . ." Pepper stated as she folded her arms. Her eyes daring him to contradicted her.

"I'm going to pay for that remark in some way, aren't I?" Tony questioned her as she smirked at him. "Thought as much. Please continue." His eyes once more on Steve as he flicked his fingers in the continue motion. Pepper minutely shook her head at him before she gave Steve her full and undivided attention.

"May I?" Steve lifted his brow up as he waited patiently for Tony to settle down again. "Where was I? Dear Nat, it seems that only yesterday that you came to my attention as a target that I had to track and kill. . ."

"He doesn't pull his punches, does he?" Tony muttered over the glaring looks that he was receiving.

"That was one of the things I really liked about him. He was straight forward with me." Natasha whispered up from the floor as some of her guarded inner walls were down as she moved to sit up and prop her back against the wall behind her. A small smile touched her pale face briefly before she closed her eyes against the inner turmoil that was her heart.

"I can understand that." Steve replied in understanding from experience as being someone that had been used by the government for their own purposes as he picked up from where he had been rudely interrupted from before. "I had watched you for a period of time. I had watched the way that you would work the room. The elegant and graceful styling of how you carried your body was what had caught my attention. The hidden smile as you leaded your target into doing your bidding. . ."

"Whoa!" Tony screeched as he raced over to cover Pepper's ears. "I think someone was getting turned on." Tony stated bluntly which in turn was making Natasha blush. It would not have surprised her in the slightest if that was the case. Clint could be a very sensual man when he put his mind to it. Natasha just stopped short of fanning herself.

"I am not a child." Pepper hissed out as she removed Tony's hands from covering her ears. Tony speared with her a glance but wisely chose to keep his mouth closed.

"The way your eyes would light up when you sliced the target's throat. . ." Steve shuddered at the tone.

"I knew it." Tony danced on the spot. "Dark and twisted!"

"And you didn't gather that from our jobs?" Natasha retorted dryly at him.

"You, I can understand." Tony pointed a finger at her as he tilted his head to the side. "Him, not so much." Natasha chuckled darkly at this assessment. She would have been positive that Clint would have gotten a kick out of this conversation.

"The way that you stood there with pride and pleasure after snapping the target's neck before licking your bottom lip and sending me a come hither glance from underneath your lashes. Knowing that deep within I would come to claim you as my equal, my mate." Natasha grasped as she pushed herself into a standing position as Steve started to blush a little from what he was reading.

"Oh wow." Pepper was astounded just by the depth of emotions that was being poured out into the letter. Her eyes shifting towards Natasha as she stood there shaking. "That is some powerful emotions there."

"I know." Natasha whispered as she bowed her head. She had never known that he had actually thought of her in that sense. She was contented to know that he was happy with how their relationship had developed. She rested her hand on her lower abdomen as she quickly scanned the group. "Maybe we should take this outside the bathroom?" She quirk her brow as she pointedly glance towards the open door.

"Will you be alright?" Bruce asked as he continued to watch her pale face.

"Don't worry about me." Natasha stated as she waved him off. Knowing that they had been asleep before her scream had pulled them from bed was not exactly the best way to wake your team up first thing in the morning. She splashed water on her face as she moved towards the toilet to use it. Washing her hands and quickly combing her locks before she opened the door.

"We are going to stop reading this." Steve held the letter out to her.

"Thank you." Natasha stepped forward to take it and folded it back up again. She would keep this for her darkest moments in the night when she could not sleep and she needed to have Clint close to her. "I'm sorry."

"That's alright, Natasha." Pepper walked over and stood in front of the other woman. Her hands reaching up to gently rest on her shoulders. "We all have lost somebody or gone through the motions of having that one we love in danger." A shadow passed over her eyes briefly. "But know this. You are not alone in this." Pepper smiled as she gave Natasha's shoulders a gentle squeeze. "Now, I will say good night."

"Thank you, Pepper." Natasha nodded her head in understanding as she watched them file out with their good nights. She sat back down on the bed as she unfolded the letter that Clint had left her and read the last line out loud. "And know that I will always love you to my dying breath." Tears silently escaped as she quietly sobbed for the man that would never know that she had loved him just as deeply.

* * *

Clint panted as he sat up straight in his bed. The blankets pooling around his waist as the sweat slowly slid down his chest and back. He knew that his hair was sticking up in all different directions as he ran a hand down his face. The nightmare had faded already from his mind as he swung his legs over and his bare feet touched the cold floor. Grunting as the cool morning touched his arms, he pulled himself up to his full height and padded over to the stove and started to light a fire in it as he did a quick inventory of his supplies. It would seem that he needed to make a trip into the closest town, shaking his head as he ran a hand over the growth on his cheeks. Making him wonder what Nat would have thought of his beard.

He was glad that he had set up a dummy account that he could roll over for such a situation like now. As long as he kept what he needed to the bare minimum then he could survive with what he got off the land. He lifted the kettle onto the stove top before he padded over to his chair and pulled on his clothing that he had placed there last night, rubbing his hands together as he tried to warm himself up quickly. He could well imagine the dark mutterings of Nat had she been here. She may have been born and raised in the good old U.S.S.R but she hated the Russian cold with a vengeance and would do almost anything to get out doing those assignments. He had a sneaking suspicion that she had only grumbled as much as she did so she could share his body heat quicker; which was more than fine with him.

He turned his attention back to the kettle that was whistling. He set about making himself a morning coffee and breakfast as he pulled a frying pan out from underneath the counter. He was still in the process of setting up his cabin and everything was still in disarray. He stirred the sugar into his black coffee, glad that he had that luxury. He could remember many a mission when it was just straight coffee with no sugar to sweeten it. Sometimes, you just had to pack light to survive to fight another day and he did not feel for the enemy when they got in his way on those missions. He was a mean one when he had no coffee. He could make Nat look like a tamed pussy cat. He laughed as he took a quick sip of his hot beverage and sighed with contentment as he finished cooking his eggs when the sound of his ringtone; cursing himself because he forgot to turn it off as he made his way over to answer it.

"James Evens." He barked into the phone as he waited for the other person.

"Nice day to be in Siberia." The gruff voice replied back.

"Only if you like the cold in Moscow." Clint answered automatically.

"Line is secure. How are you holding up?" Fury asked.

"As well as could be expected, sir." Clint really did not want to get into it. He could deal with a lot of things but this was going to prove to be the hardest.

"I thought to check in with you." Fury mumbled as he stared at the file on his computer. "We have no new developments."

"Figured as much. It'll take time." Clint sighed as he brought his cup to his lips and took a sip, allowing the hot liquid to burn his throat. "How's Nat holding up?"

"I have given her time off as she has just lost her partner." Fury murmured meaningful into the phone.

"Bet that went down like a lead pipe." Clint chuckled as he pictured her throwing a fit at being sidelined for a moment.

"You have no idea." Fury breathed before he hung up making Clint stare at his phone.

Shaking his head, he put his phone away and made his way back to the kitchen and eaten his meal before tidying up the breakfast dishes. He glanced around the empty room before he reached for his bow and quiver that was sitting by the door. He needed to get out of the empty nest and back into the wilds. Zipping up his jacket as he slung his equipment onto his back, he gaze sweeping the area once more before he headed outside into the forest. Carefully closing and locking his door before he did so, taking in a lung full of fresh mountain and step off his front porch. Turning in a easterly direction, he went in search for tomorrow's dinner.

* * *

Natasha looked with suspicious eyes between Bruce and Tony as they stood there and blinked at her. Honest to god, blinking as if she were some alien and she had just stumbled upon them. Shaking her head as she continued to watch them as they started to quietly chat among themselves and leave her out. She had no idea what they were babbling on about but it was starting to annoy her. It seemed that her body was not her own anymore.

"So I do have great news, Natasha." Bruce started off before he shot a look at Tony. "You're not carrying twins."

"At this stage." Tony muttered to himself as Natasha glared at him before turning her gaze back onto Bruce again.

"But I do want to conduct an ultrasound to make sure that the embryo has attached to the uterus with no problems." Bruce moved over to where the machine stood.

"Don't I need to drink a load of water?" Natasha stated as she lifted an eyebrow up.

"No need for that." Tony scoffed as he went to stand besides Bruce. "I would give you the details but I don't want to bore you." He drawled as he clicked his fingers in his show of being bored. "We're going to do this?" He spun around on his heels as he clapped his hands together.

"Yeah, I suppose but why you?" Natasha stared at Tony hard as she tried to figure out what he wanted from her.

"It's really not that difficult." Tony started to lecture her. "I have not up to this point been able to test this machine under its proper working environment. You're actually the first pregnant woman that I know." Tony shrugged his shoulders which made Natasha laugh at the sheepish twinkle in his eyes.

"Okay, let's get this done." Natasha screwed her nose up before she walked over to the bed and lifted herself onto it. She laid back against the pillow as she waited to see what Bruce and Tony were going to do.

"I'm just going to flip your shirt up and tuck it under here." Bruce stated with his words as he followed through with the actions. His eyes flicked over towards Tony as he moved behind them to operate the controls. A slight buzzing sound entered the room to indicate that the machine had started and was currently in use. Natasha had no idea on how she really felt about it all as she continued to observe the situation.

"It's not going to. . ." She started only to close her mouth at Tony's sharp look.

"Wouldn't dream of having you in here if that was the case." Tony held his hand over his arc reactor as he shot her a wounded look.

"We got anything yet?" Bruce asked as he spun around and shot a telling look at him.

"Why is everyone glaring at me today?" Tony huffed as he pushed a couple of more buttons as imagine came up onto the screen in front of them. "You try to be nice and . . . Ah, here we are!"

"Wow." Natasha was in awed as to what she was seeing. She could see the baby starting to take form as she blinked back the tears, wishing that Clint had been here to witness this beautiful event.

"Good, good." Bruce walked up to the screen and studied it for a moment. "I think with some careful monitoring you might just make it to full term." His fingers brushed over some of the scarred tissue that was more prominent on the screen.

"So how far along do you think I am?" Natasha asked as she continued to stare transfixed on the tiny bud that was nestling in her womb.

"I would roughly put you at maybe six weeks. It's a bit difficult to tell due to your mods." Tony stated as he ran some measures through the machine.

"And not only that, all babies grow at different rates." Bruce gritted through his teeth.

"So this baby is to blame for my emotional outbursts?" Natasha whispered as her gaze flicked over to Bruce.

"Yes while your body is accommodating for its newest resident. How is your dizziness doing?" Bruce asked as he got the pressure cuff out and wrapped it around her arm.

"It seems to be good if I get up slowly." Natasha smiled a little at this new weakness that she had developed.

"I think that if we start you on those supplements and your new dietary intake. You should be fine. How do fortnightly check-ups sound?" Bruce jotted down her blood pressure before removing the cuff from her. "Blood pressure is a little down but that is to be expected. Light exercises only, no full body contact." He wagged a finger in her direction.

"Anything else?" Natasha snapped.

"Natasha, I'm not restricting you." Bruce heaved a long-suffering sigh. He could already tell that it was not going to be easy living with a heavily pregnant Natasha if her reactions were anything to go by now. It made him wonder how Clint could do this when she was injured but he had a feeling that they were stubborn as each other.

"It feels like you are." She retorted heavily back as she unfolded her shirt down and sat up before she swung her legs down.

"I'm not the enemy." Bruce rolled his eyes as Tony sniggered in the background.

"Are we done here?" Natasha huffed as she folded her arms just when her stomach made its presence known by rumbling. She had not realised that she was that hunger and that she had nothing to eat since lunchtime.

"We're done." Bruce chuckled at her timing before he walked over to Tony and conferred with him on what they had seen. Their dinners were the last things on their minds as they worked through the night to develop the other blood work of Natasha as they realised that she was being pushed to the limits of her comfort zone with all the testing that they had been conducting over the last few days.

* * *

So until next time, have a good one! :D


	3. Calming Presence

Hello everybody. It seems that I am roughly updating every fortnight. Which I think is good in a way, nicely paced out. I do have some surprises in store but they are later on in the story. I am using my own experience when dealing with pregnancy and the different emotions that one may or may not suffer. Yes, you can get extremely violent when pushed to the point. Not a pretty picture but they learn. Irrational creatures, that is a pregnant woman. So please let me know what you think.

I am glad that everyone is enjoying it so far. I do try to keep them in character but everyone that has dealt with a pregnant woman knows, there is nothing normal about her but yes, I can definitely see Natasha skinning Clint alive when she finds him. The joys of assassins in love.

**Disclaimer:** _I don't own them and only burrowing them for my twisted pleasure. They will be returned unscathed somewhat to their original owners. I am not making any money off this because I like my way of life as it is._

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** Chapter 3: Calming presence**

**N**atasha stood in front of the mirror with her shirt flipped up as she closely scrutinised her stomach. Looking for the little tells of that she was carrying another human being within her. She had finally gotten to the point of acceptance but she still felt that she would be no good as a mother. But she thought that all new mothers would have felt this way, at some point or another. That seemed to be the only logical thought that she happily accepted as she pulled her shirt down and soothed it over her hips.

At eight weeks, there was nothing to discern the fact, other than the darken circles under her eyes from the lack of rest that she was currently receiving or that she spent most of her early mornings inspecting the toilet bowl. No one was any the wiser to her current condition but she knew that she would have to inform Director Fury at some point and before there was no denying the evidence. Natasha had never been one to worry about the rumours that circulated the hallways but even she knew that this would definitely get the tongues wagging. Everyone knew about the betting pool and she was slightly interested to see as to who they put the father as.

With a tiny smile on her face, she spun on her heels and made her way out of her bedroom and walked down to the kitchen. Stopping short as Tony stood at the sink with his arms folded over his chest, staring out of the floor to ceiling windows. A pensive expression was upon his face as he turned quickly and glance at Natasha standing there. His expression instantly disappeared at her furrowed brows.

"Come to join the land of the living, Natasha?" Tony smirked as he reached over and flicked the switch to start up the coffee machine.

"Bit early for you, Tony?" Natasha muttered as she stepped across the threshold and over to the refrigerator; opening the door as she looked at all the food that sat there. Her mind undecided on what exactly she wanted.

"Who said I went to sleep?" His smirk did not quite reach his eyes as he glanced once more out of the windows.

"So that explains the witty words." Natasha threw over her shoulder at him as she pulled the eggs and cream from their respective places. Straightening up as she moved to stand next to him, setting her ingredients down onto the counter before she moved off to find the rest of the equipment that she would need to make her meal.

"Hmm." Tony murmured noncommittally which was a clear indication that his attention was clearly not in the room let alone with the conversation that they were having at present.

"What's wrong?" Natasha folded her arms as she leaned a hip against the counter. Her stance mimicked Clint before she brushed a piece of hair behind her ear.

"What's to say there is something wrong?" Tony asked distractedly before he visibly shook himself off and stared directly at her, his vision seeming to be tracking her every movement. Natasha was feeling kind of crept out about it.

"Staring off into the distance with no verbal comebacks." Natasha shot him a look that read: Do I really need to continue?

"Point duly noted." He blinked at her before sighing and running a hand through his hair as his face contorting into a grimace at the fact that she had caught him out doing just exactly that. "Just got something on my mind."

"I worked that much out." Natasha dryly muttered to him as she inclined her head for him to continue on with his thought process. Which in itself is a very dangerous endeavour to embarked upon but she just could not stop herself.

"Would you marry me?" Tony blurted out as Natasha did a double take and nearly chocked on her laughter as he slowly blinked at her. She was starting to think that the man was bipolar.

"Um. . .Wow, Stark. I don't know what to say!" Natasha bit her lip. She was struggling to maintain a serious face as he continued to watch her. She had no idea where that question came from and she was sure that she had not given him any reason to think that way.

"Not like that." Tony snorted as he waved his hand in the region of her stomach. "I know that you are already spoken for." He folded his arms as his long fingers tapped out a beat that only he was listening too. "Okay, let's try this again. _Would_ you marry me?"

"Me. . .Personally. . .Not in a million years." Natasha tilted her head as she watched his shoulders slump slightly. She raised an eyebrow as an idea formed in her head. "But I do know of someone that wouldn't miss it for the entire world."

"And how did you come by that assessment?" Tony glared at her as he placed his hands upon his hips.

"Simple observation!" Natasha smiled sweetly at him with a hint of steel within her eyes as she turned around and started to prepare her meal. "It's really not that difficult to figure."

"I take it's about as easy as you and Barton?" He retorted as he calmly continued to gaze at her as her back stiffen at the mention of his name. Her eyes narrowing down to slits as she glared at him. "Okay, touchy subject." He held his palms up and out as Natasha blew a ragged breath out.

Steve came around the corner as he stopped and absorbed the stand-off that was happening in the kitchen between Tony and Natasha; which he could not really say that he was surprised by that at all. Tony just had the knack for annoying his teammates to the point of death, his of course, but that was just semantics. The air itself was decidedly chillier than it was an hour ago when he was in here last. He shook his head before making his way over to the cupboard and pulled a glass down setting it down upon the counter. He turned upon his heel as he headed towards the fridge and snagging the orange juice out of the door, he made his way back to his glass and started to pour the juice out when he froze as he heard a hiss behind him.

"What have I done now?" Steve asked wearily as he slowly turned around to face Natasha. Almost gulping with dread at the narrow eyed expression she was giving him and he just knew how insane Clint was now. This was far worst than any mine field that he had ever been in. He inwardly groaned before pulling himself up to his full height. His eyes twitched at the baring of her teeth.

"That's mine!" She almost snarled at him as she pointed to the carton in his hand. A sense of battle was tingling along her spine as she continued to glare at them. Steve glanced down at the offending drink sitting harmlessly within his grasp before shifting his eyes back onto her. He wonder how the #!*% did he get into this mess and most importantly on how he was going to extract himself with limbs intact, hopefully, from the insane situation that was currently Natasha. A hidden smile tugged at his lips as the smell of burning food caught his attention.

"Your eggs are burning." Steve pointed out as Natasha snapped her eyes away to deal with her meal before she briefly glanced once more at him. He continued to watch her as the flames licked the sides of her eyes. He was not out of her line of fire. So he did the next best thing and asked for permission. "May I have a glass, please?" He hedged as he really had no idea on how she would react to that. He could tell when the light of battle left her eyes and she nodded her head. He almost wiped his brow as one major obstacle had been overcome and it was only nine thirty in the morning.

"Could you pour me a glass as well, thanks?" Natasha muttered as another feeling of uneasiness flooded her nervous system. She was starting to dislike the new emotions that were constantly being emitted. She arranged her eggs onto a plate as she placed the pan into the sink for it to be cleaned later. She grabbed her plate and glass of juice with a muttered thank you and quickly vacated out of the room. She could not believe that she just went toe-to-toe with Steve over a glass of orange juice.

"That was intense." Steve murmured as he watched her leave the room. "I thought she was about to tear me to pieces."

"And it'll only get worst." Tony rubbed at his chin in deep thought. "I'm sure we can blame it on the hormones."

"Think we should run for cover?" Steve was being serious as he swallowed the rest of his juice in one gulp. Walking over to the sink and rinsed his glass out before he washed the pan up and place it in the drainer as well.

"And miss the pendulum of moods that is currently Natasha?" Tony smirked at the look of utter horror that crossed Steve's face. "Not on your life."

"You must have a death wish." Steve muttered under his breath as he wiped his hands on the dish towel before he folded it and put it away.

"Come on, it'll be fun!" Tony sniggered.

"Yeah, it'll be real swell." Steve rolled his eyes as he folded his arms across his chest. Not believing for one moment that it would be as fun as Tony made it out to be. He carefully gauged his clearly unstable teammate before pushing himself off the counter and walked towards the door before throwing over his shoulder. "I think you need some rest, Tony, because your brain is not engaged."

"Nothing wrong with my thought process." Tony's snarky voice echoed after Steve. "I'm living in a nuthouse." He shook his head as he turned back once more towards the window.

* * *

Clint blew on his hot cup of coffee as his gaze flicked out over the horizon. The world itself was silent as the breeze had increased with speed over time. The temperature was dropping rapidly and he could see that the sky was darkening from the heavy clouds that hung in the distance. He had been expecting the change in the weather as he continued to gaze out of the window. Stuck deep in his thoughts as he went over his supplies that he currently had and what he would need after a period of time that the snow itself would last. He was just thankful that he had chopped wood a couple of days ago in preparation for the coming storm.

He caught a glimpse of the wolf that had been watching him earlier in the week. The feeling of being hunted was not there but they would continue to observe what the other would be doing. It reminded him very much of Natasha when she first came to join S.H.I.E.L.D; the watchful silence as she had sat there trying to work out how the system ran and how she fitted into it. He loved the way her brain would tick over with her thoughts. He leaned his head back and huffed out a breath as he closed his eyes tightly against the onslaught of pain. Making him wonder that maybe he should have slipped over the border and seen her from a distance but he knew that Fury would have his head served on a silver platter; if he ever step a foot back into New York City.

He was off the grid here. No one would be able to find him in the backwoods of nowhere with no electricity and phone. Well, except for the one currently in his possession and he had not charged the battery for the fear that Natasha would get her hands on the number, which in turn, would get her on the next available flight out of New York and hunt him down. What she would do to him? Was best left alone if she ever caught wind of what he was doing. But still, it got #!*% lonely here. He lift his cup to his lips and tilted it as he took a sip of the hot beverage before he placed the cup down onto the coffee table before pushing himself into a standing position.

Walking over to where the wood pile was stack, he realised that he would need more wood if he was going to make it through the next few days. Running his hand down his face as he calculated on exactly how much he would need, he stalked over to the door before pulling on his boots and coat as his hand made their way into the pocket for his fingerless gloves; slipping them on before he turned the door knob and made his way silently over to the woodshed. He could feel that he was being watched as his sharp gaze searched the area before spotting a familiar shadow of the wolf that he had seen earlier through the window pane. A small smile tugged at his mouth as he shook his head before he went to the woodpile and gathered the amount that he would need before loading what he could carry into his arms.

It took him four trips to finally get the work done. His muscles were tingling with all the carrying that he had been doing. Sure, he was already in prime shape, had to be with his line of work and choice of weaponry. His gaze coming to rest briefly on his seldom used bow but it still felt nice to do some physical labour. Rubbing his hands together as he stomped his feet. He was just thankful that the trek was not longer between the two buildings because it would be difficult to navigate between them if he ever needed anymore wood.

He carefully toed off his boots before he crossed the room and double checked his water supply; it was not like that he did not have more coming anyway. He knew that his food supply was fine and that he had candles in the drawer, if and when, he needed them. He scanned around his home before he marched over to the cupboard and opened it. His hand reached in and snagged the first heavy blanket that he could grab before throwing it across his bed. Making his way over to the fireplace, he kneel down and started the fire as he turned his head at the flakes of snow that were drifting down his window. The wind was starting to howl as the fire flickered to life. He dusted his hands as he stood up and walked over to his seriously cold cup of coffee. Hanging his head as he groaned before picking up the cup and making himself a fresh one before sitting down in front of the fire to stare into the dancing flames, lost within his memories with a tiny smile upon his harden face.

* * *

"Where are you going?" Tony called out as he spied Natasha walking past the room that he was currently lounging in. The remote was dangling loosely within his grasp as the volume was turned down low. His attention not even focused on the infomercial that was blinking brightly within the darken room. His eyes looking more blood shot than they did this morning.

"Have you been to sleep yet, Stark?" Natasha glanced over to him when she finally stopped and back tracked to where she heard his voice come from.

"Sleep is over rated." He huffed as he waved his hand about in the air.

"I'm pretty sure that Pepper wouldn't agree with you." Natasha huff a breath out as she continued to watch the sleep deprived billionaire. She was torn between laughter and despair with him.

"What would she know?" Tony muttered before dragging his hand down his face. Natasha lifted her eyebrow in disbelief. "She's standing right behind me, isn't she?"

"You could say that!" Natasha snickered at the way that his eyes widen as his mouth worked to form an apology before turning his head around, only to find that a blank wall was behind him. His face scowling as he turned heated eyes onto her.

"That was just plain evil." Tony retorted as he moved to stand up from his seat.

"If you had your full. . ." Natasha started as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Director Fury called, Ms. Romanoff." Jarvis smoothly interrupted the beginnings of their heated debate. "He wishes to meet with you."

"Thank you, Jarvis." Natasha returned politely as she continued to gaze at Tony. His features were starting to look haggard under the soft glow of the television. "You really need to sleep, Tony."

"No, I'm fine." Tony brushed off her concern.

"Look we can do this the easy way or the hard way; your decision?" Natasha firmly stated as worry settled into the pit of her stomach. She knew what it was like not to get the needed rest but she had also been trained to function mentally and physically without it. It had even saved her life a few times and now, was not one of them.

"Are you threatening me?" Tony grasped at her, the hurt clearly ringing through his voice at her seeming betrayal that Natasha just wanted to knock him out and be done with it.

"No, Stark, I wouldn't do something so mundane." She pinched the bridge of her nose before turning her eyes towards the ceiling and drew in a deep breath. She did not think that Clint in all of his stubbornness could be this difficult and they had some pretty speculator stand-offs in their history.

"That is not very reassuring." Tony sprouted as he widened his eyes to impossible sizes.

"I can get Bruce up here to deal with you." Natasha could feel her patience slipping with each passing moment. "You need to sleep!" She finally snapped at him.

"I know that but I just can't. No matter how much I try." Tony whispered into the room as his shoulders slumping forward in defeat. "The black void keeps calling to me." He speared her with his eyes. "I have done a lot of things that I am not particular proud of. . ."

"I know." Natasha offered the olive leaf. "We all have our demons that we have to deal with."

"Yeah, that much I do know." Tony ran his hand down his face, feeling for the first time as bone tired as he can be. As if, the weight of the world rested only upon his shoulders. "How do you do it?"

"Sleep when I can and workout when I can not." Natasha shrugged her shoulders. She did not have all the answers but she would help with what she did know. "Have you told Pepper about this?"

"I don't sleep well as it is." Tony chuckled humourlessly. "And I don't really want to burden her anymore than I already have." Natasha nodded her head in understanding. She had felt the same way when it came to Clint but as she came to learn that it was part of being in a partnership with him.

"You'll be very surprised." Natasha advised as she took a step into the room and gently pushed Tony back down into his chair before kneeling at his head to massage his temples. It was something that she would do for Clint when he found it near impossible to sleep. Her voice had taken on a husky tone as she hummed an unnamed song. Her sharp eyes watching as Tony fought to close his eyes. It was like soothing a child, albeit a full grown one, to sleep. She heard the soft footfalls before the sharp intake of breath of Pepper as she entered the room.

"You haven't killed him, have you?" Pepper's voice held a playful tone to it. Natasha tilted her head as she blinked steadily at the other woman.

"Thought about it." Natasha smirked as she scooted away and allowed Pepper to take her seat.

"How did you get him to sleep?" Pepper was awed by what Natasha had done.

"Same thing that I do for Clint," She held her finger to her lips as she swore Pepper to that secret. "Especially when he hasn't slept for days and his mind is still wired. Funny to watch but it gets tiring after awhile."

"I can't even imagine that." Pepper chewed her lip for a moment. "He always seemed so serious."

"That was just him thinking." Natasha smiled fondly as she reached over and clasped the other woman on the shoulder before giving her a gentle squeeze before she stood up and walked from the room. Her original mission forgotten about as she headed towards the gym; Bruce did say that she was allowed to do light exercises after all. A mischievous smile pulled at her lips as she waited for the elevator. She was going to get into so much trouble as she chuckled darkly before entering the elevator and pushed the floor that she wanted.

* * *

As I said, irrational creatures. Call it hormones. Anyway, loved it or hate it? Drop me a line and tell me about it. Until next time, have a good one! ;D


	4. Changes

Hello everyone. Here is the newest chapter and I hope you all enjoy it. I'm not saying much because I don't want to give any points away. So, my lips are zipped. All I can say is that the next chapter is three quarters written and due for editing in the next week. Barring any assessments that need to be done, of course. So sit back, relax and enjoy the ride!

_Sorry, no shout outs because no-one reviewed._

Disclaimer: I own nothing at all. I am only borrowing said characters and they, may or may not, be in the condition that I had gotten them in.

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**Chapter 4: Changes**

**"Y**ou've got to be kidding me!" Natasha exclaimed as she jumped up and down on the spot while trying and failing to button her jeans up. They were her favourite pair and she was certain that she had fitted into them last week. She could have blamed the hot water that they were washed in but she was still faced with another dilemma. The fly just would not zip up. No matter how much she sucked her stomach in. Hanging her head in defeat, she stripped them off and kicked them over to the corner. It was time to find something that would fit over her slight baby bump.

She caught sight of herself in the mirror as she held her shirt just under her breasts and admire the slight swelling of her lower abdomen; cupping her hand as she made a cradle. A rare soft smile graced her facial features as her eyes twinkled with the vibrancy of new life; something that still had the ability to steal her breath. Bruce had said that she could listen to the heartbeat and she was looking forward to it.

"I think your father would have been very proud." Natasha had whispered to the child within. She had started to speak to the baby as the shock slowly wore off and she did not wake from the dreaming state like she had initially thought she was in. It was still a surreal feeling of being pregnant except for the morning sickness and the occasional urge to dismember certain team members for no apparent reason. She could deal with that one as it came along, even if they could not. Just as long as she remembered not to act upon it and than they were fine. The only added bonus was the fact that she would not have Fury breathing down her neck if she responded to them.

Pulling her shirt down as she walked over to her drawers and searched for some loose fitting pants. She made a mental note that she would have to go clothes shopping soon. It was right after she asked for maternity leave from Fury first. Natasha chewed her inner cheek on that one. He had already made a few attempts at getting her to the Hellicarrier for a meeting but she used different excuses, wondering how many more she had up her sleeve before she had to slip her little secret.

"Ms. Romanoff, I have Director Fury on the line." Jarvis injected into the comfortable silence.

"Thank you, Jarvis." Natasha muttered under her breath as she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "What can I do for you, sir?" She held her breath.

"I'm starting to get the feeling that you are hiding from me, Agent Romanoff." Director Fury's gruff voice echoed over the speakers. "And I wonder why I am getting that feeling. Do you, Agent Romanoff?"

"No, sir!" Natasha almost smacked her forehead for being completely and utterly stupid to think that he would not have noticed her avoidance tactics. Clint would have been on the ground, howling with laughter at the predicament that she found herself in.

"So what is the excuse this time?" He was being straight forward this time around. "You do realise that you are running out of them?" He reminded her.

"I'm pretty positive that I could come up with some." She muttered under her breath. She glanced over to the clock on the wall before making a quick calculation within her head. "How about in an hour?"

"Standard pick-up point, Agent Romanoff. Don't be late!" Nick barked through the phone at her. She shook her head as she quickly gathered her catsuit up and stretched it into place. She was starting to know how a sausage was feeling as the seams bit lightly into her skin, but atleast, you could not tell that there was a bump underneath it.

Natasha drew in swallow breaths as she felt the constriction of her suit as she quickly unzipped it and started to wrestle it from her body, leaving her panting from the battle of removing it. Shaking her head slightly as she padded over to the drawers and pulled out some comfortable black cargo pants and a non descript black shirt and tanned jacket as she shod her feet in boots. She bent down and laced them up before drawing a deep breath inside of her lungs. She checked to make sure that she had brushed her hair before she styled it into a high ponytail before grabbing her wallet and keys before she closed her door and started down the hallway.

"Hey, Romanoff." Tony smirked as he fell into step with her strides. She barely held the urge to groan at him as she watched him do a little jump while in mid-stride. "Where are you off to in such a hurry?"

"None of your business, Stark." Natasha hissed at him, hoping in a vain attempt that he would just leave her alone and allow her do what needed to be done.

"Come on, you can tell me!" He entreated her, knowing that she would not give the information if she so chose not too. That was one of the things that got a bee in his bonnet but he could understand the emotions and ideas that kept one secretive.

"If I told you and than I'll have to kill you." She glanced sideways with a mischievous grin lighting up her face. Her eyes narrow down to slits to hide the teasing light that was there.

"You don't play fair." Tony griped at her.

"Never said that I did." She quipped back at him as they reached the elevator and it slid open noiselessly. Stepping over the threshold and hitting the button for the garage.

"So, which one are you taking out?" Tony asked as he spied her clothing that she was wearing.

"I was thinking about the Blackbird." Natasha muttered quietly as she continued to watch the numbers count backwards.

"Honda is a good choice, especially if you want to escape in a hurry." Tony stated with a sly smirk on his face. "So who taught you to ride?"

"Who do you think?" Natasha deadpanned as the elevator stopped on the floor that she wanted. Making her way over to where Clint's and her helmets laid side by side. Catching her bottom lip as she worried it for a moment as she screwed her eyes closed against the pain that bloomed within her chest.

"I hear it gets easier, Nat." Tony murmured as she struggled to composure herself before she turned around to glare at him as he held his hands in defence of himself. "You should speak to Steve sometime." Tony offered as he watched the fight leave her body.

"I'm sorry." She whispered as she grabbed her helmet and went to where all the keys were held; searching through them until she found the ones that she wanted. Tony stood there stunned before he quickly shook his head.

"Did I just hear the great and fearsome Black Widow apologise?" Tony awed as he turned to watch her straddle the bike before she kicked the side stand up, sitting her helmet on the tank as she searched his features for hidden sarcasm.

"Just don't let it get out. It could ruin my reputation!" Natasha winked at him with a slight smile quirking her lips as she reached forward and placed the key in and started the bike; allowing it to idle over as she made quick work of putting her helmet on. She lifted the visor up to glance in Tony's direction as he carried a black leather jacket over.

"Here have this." He muttered as he handed over the jacket as she quickly shed the tan jacket and placed the black one in its place; rolling her shoulder at the slight heavier weight. A questioning look in her eyes as she stared up at Tony. "The protection is lined within the jacket."

"I like." She muttered as she flexed her arms to get use the way that it moved with her body. "Don't wait up." Natasha pushed the visor down as she leaned over and put the bike into gear before taking off, up the ramp and disappeared into the city traffic.

Tony slowly turned around and made his way up to his lab. Popping his head into Bruce's section as he passed by and watched Bruce for a moment before he huffed a breath out.

"Be with you in a moment, Tony." Bruce muttered as he adjusted the setting on the microscope. He was not really interested in what Tony wanted to discuss with him. He was enjoying the little bit of side research that he was currently conducting. He enjoyed watching tiny organisms move under the microscope. It was strange but he found very relaxing. "What do you want now?" Bruce spoke as he made a notation on the pad beside him before calmly folding his arms on his lap.

"Do you find it strange because I know that I do, that we never even had a send off for Barton?" Tony walked into the room and sat straight down.

"What do you mean by send off?" Bruce edged. He just knew this was a conversation that he would not like.

"You know like a funeral!" Tony chirped out as he started to spin on his chair.

"If I remember correctly, there were never many pieces to collect." Bruce took his glasses off to rub at his eyes. He could already feel the headache that was forming behind his eyes and Tony had not been there for very long at all.

"I read the official SHIELD report." Tony practically rolled his eyes before jumping back to his feet, an idea forming within his head. "They couldn't even find Barton's DNA to cross reference it. Usually that would come under as missing in action rather than killed."

"So you effectively saying that Clint, better known as Natasha's partner, is not currently dead but sipping piña colodas on a bench somewhere in the entire world." The look of disbelief was written all over Bruce's face as well as within his voice.

"Not quite like that." Tony screwed his nose up as his brow furrowed for a moment. "We are talking about someone that is effectively a ghost for all intents and purposes; someone that is trained to keep to the shadows and disappear with no hesitation. Leave no trace of themselves at the locations that they had been sent."

"It was an explosion, after all. Of course there could have been his blood." Bruce folded his arms as he sat back and watch the genius at play.

"But that's just it." Tony almost shouted as the idea became more concrete within his mind. He quickly crossed the room to stand at the computer terminal. "Jarvis, can you pull the official SHIELD report and any video feeds of the satellites that were flying over at the time of the explosion occurring."

"Right away, sir!" Jarvis replied as soon as the command left Tony's mouth.

"You realise that once you have found what you want, you may be sorely disappointed." Bruce injected into the atmosphere as Tony continued to ramble on with himself.

"And if it saves a certain someone from a life of misery?" Tony lifted his brow up as he turned around to stare Bruce down. "That's what I thought."

* * *

Natasha pulled up at the designated area for pick up to the Hellicarrier, almost cursing the agents that were meant to be here. She glanced at the watch that she wore. She was on time but they were still nowhere to be seen as she put the bike in neutral before turning it off. She could hear the distant chop of the rotor blades as they sliced through the air. Kicking the side stand down and threw her leg over the side as she came to stand beside the bike. Lifting her hands up as she unbuckled the chin strap before removing the motorcycle helmet as she shook her hair out from its confinement.

She turned around as the dust and air were flung up around her as the chopper started its descend down to the tarmac below. She gritted her teeth as it finally touched down and the door was flung open to reveal Agent Hill getting out as she walked over to Natasha.

"Glad you could make it." Maria shouted over the noise that the cycling blades were making, which was not very conductive to any form of conversation. Natasha just shook her head before moving over to the aircraft and jumped on board. She sat down on the nearest seat and strapped herself in before placing the helmet over her head. She just wanted the ride and meeting over and done with. Huffing a breath out as she watched Hill climb into the chopper behind her and give the signal for them to take off.

Natasha turned her eyes to glance over the quickly disappearing ground as they slightly unfocused before she rapidly blinked them to clear the gathering moisture, leaning her head on the head rest as she continued to gaze out to the blue sky. Heights had always been Clint's thing, never hers. She could understand the need to see things from a distance because you tended to gain bigger picture but she preferred upclose and personal; the finer details of an operation. That was one thing as to why they had worked brilliantly as a team.

It was a short fifteen minute ride before they touched down again. Her stomach was feeling a little queasy from the jarring that she was receiving. Breathing deeply as she waited for the feeling to go away before she unbuckled herself and exited the aircraft. Her feet softly touching on the deck as she swept her gaze around at the busy activity that was happening around her. She was feeling really out of place as she felt Maria stand beside her once again.

"Come this way." Maria directed her through the Hellicarrier to get to Fury's office. The door was closed as usual as Natasha glanced at the door before giving Maria nodded as her closed fist reached up and tapped on the door. It seemed like she had waited for an eternity before she was granted permission to enter the room.

"You're late, Agent Romanoff." Fury growled out as he looked up from the file that he was currently working on. "But you are here none the less." He quickly snapped the folder closed before he crossed his arms on the desk and leaned forward.

"Traffic was heavy." Natasha murmured as she slid into the chair. She was feeling rather tired from her journey.

"I hear it would be for this time of year." Fury glanced over her as she closed her eyes and tipped her head back to rest against the chair. He noticed the darken circles under her eyes.

"What can I do for you, Director Fury?" Her voice sounded strained as her stomach chose that particular moment to start rebelling against the treatment that it currently was getting. Considering all things, she did not even have breakfast when she had left the tower.

"It seems you have been avoiding me, Romanoff." He decided it was much easier to get to the crux of the problem. "I have a new assignment for you and it requires your special skill set. . ." He trailed off as Natasha's face blanched white before she shoved a hand over her mouth and rapidly stood up before she sprinted for the toilet or the nearest waste paper basket; she was not really fussed on which one crossed her path first.

"I'll follow her, sir!" Agent Hill offered as soon as the door was opened and Natasha had rushed off.

"You better." Fury folded his arms across his chest as he continued to glare at the open door. He had never known Natasha to get sick but, he shrugged his shoulders, there was a first time for everything. "Get me, Agent McCall." He barked out as he flipped the file open once again as he waited for the summoned agent.

Agent Hill had found her not far away crouched over that waste paper basket. She watched as Natasha's shoulders shook before she stood up and wiped at her mouth; her eyes quickly darting around to find some form of liquid to wash the after taste of the bile from her mouth. She had nothing to heavy in her stomach but her innards still hurt just the same.

"Can I take you to medical?" Maria enquired quietly as she moved to stand besides Natasha. Her hand gently placed upon her shoulder. Just because she was a hard nosed second-in-command did not mean that she had lost her gentler side.

"No, I'll be fine. Bruce has been taking care of me." Natasha whispered as she spied an unattended water bottle before she swiped it and lifted it to her lips; pulling a mouthful of water from it to rinse her mouth out.

"That was completely nasty." Maria glanced once more at her pale complexion. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm positive. There's nothing new that they could tell me anyway." Natasha smirk was mysterious as she rubbed her hands down the side of her pants.

"So, you are going to explain what happened back there?" Maria quirk her brow up as a hint of red touched Natasha's cheeks briefly.

"You wouldn't believe me even if I told you." Natasha murmured softly as her eyes flicked around at the other agents that seemed to be busy but actually was not. She snorted at this before grabbing hold of Maria and dragged her to a more secluded area, out of the hearing of the nosier agents.

"Okay, what's up?" Maria just could not believe that Romanoff had dragged her to a empty room. She would admit that her own curiosity had been piqued from the weird behaviour of the agent in front of her.

"What would you say to if I was pregnant?" Natasha whispered quietly as her brow drew itself into a frown.

"I would consider it an impossibly." Maria had to bite her inner cheek from laughing out loud at the bombshell that Natasha had just dropped. "You're not joking!" She grasped at the deadly glare that she was getting from the redhead.

"No, I'm not joking." Natasha hissed as she pulled her shirt closer to her body to outline the slight baby bump that lay hidden underneath. "Hence why, I am not in my uniform." Natasha gritted her teeth.

"I did find that a bit unusual." Maria murmured to herself as she rubbed a hand down her face. "Well, this changes things." Maria chirped as she turned around and opened the door. "You should continue your meeting with Fury."

"In a minute." Natasha waved her away as she sucked in a lungful of air. She still had no idea on how she was going to explain her situation to her boss. She was thankful that Maria had not asked about the father. Natasha pulled herself to her full height as she spun upon her heels and left the room and started to walk towards Fury's door as she knocked gently and waited for re-entry permission.

"Glad to see you with us again, Agent Romanoff." He glanced over to where she stood. Her eyes quickly flicked to the man that stood in front of Fury's desk. "This is Agent Aaron McCall. He will be providing back up for you on this mission."

"I don't want another partner." Natasha's accent bled through.

"You have no choice in this matter. You are to gather intelligence upon Simon Hufftun."

"What has he done?" Natasha breathed out as Fury continued to glare at her for interrupting him. "You're just as bad as Barton." He mumbled under his breath which made her smirk and McCall's eyes widen at the mention of the name.

"His connection is Barton's last mission. . ." His eye glanced up at Natasha to see how she had taken this news. "You are invited to the gala ball here." He hand her the invitation as well as a closed folder. "You know what to do." He made a dismissing sound before he turned around to stare out of the large window.

"So, I sense tension on board whenever this Barton bloke is mentioned?" McCall's Australian accent was thick as he continued to stare down at the redhead at his side. He had seen her tense before he was pushed into the wall with a blade at his throat.

"You will never be half the man that he was." Natasha hissed as she pushed into his shoulders before releasing him. A huge smirk plastered over his face.

"Wasn't planning on it." Aaron whistled as he stalked away from her. Making Natasha growl deep in the throat as he spun around and winked at her.

"It's going to be a long mission." She still had to tell Fury but she had to get this mission out of the way and explain to her team mates as to why she was going. She had a feeling that Bruce had a word or three on her stupidity. She smacked her forehead. She could really use something strong to drink at present.

* * *

So, who's wonder who Agent McCall is. I know I was! Hehe. So, until next time. Have a good one! ;D


	5. Lights,

Greetings, everyone. Here is the newest installment like I planned. I think this chapter may or may not raise a few eyebrows, so we'll see on that front. My lips are still zipped on the story but please do; sit back, relax and enjoy the ride! I would like to welcome all new followers to this story and hopefully, I don't disappoint on delivery.

**Orion84:** _You could say that but it was more on the friend level considering. ._ .

**DonutRain00:** _Seems like I did my job really well. Good guess._

**discordchick: **_Yes, but she can be very stubborn about it. It's about Clint after all._

**Precious93: ** _And that is why everyone loves him._**  
**

**Guest:** _Hopefully, you enjoyed this one as well._

So that was my most favourite part. Don't forget to leave a review because it lets me know how the story arc is performing and what you think of it.

**DISCLAIMER:**I do not own these characters but am only burrowing them for my selfish purpose. They will be Out of Character because they can be somewhat human at times.

* * *

**Chapter 5: Lights,**

**N**atasha glanced around the table that the people were sitting down at. No one was looking particular joyous about the details that she had just laid out as a foolproof plan within her mind. She thought that it had covered all the bases and kept her mostly out of the danger zone. There was an inherent danger to her line of work and that figure was multiplying with each passing week.

"I just don't know, Natasha. It still seems like it will be dangerous especially in your current condition." Steve spoke up as he continued to watch her; the folder sitting open in front of her.

"I know that." She gritted her teeth as she inhaled a deep breath and started to count backwards from ten in German. "Nothing in life is set." She glanced down at her hands for a moment. Her eyes looking suspiciously damp as she turned her eyes back onto them.

"What he is trying to say, Natasha, is that we are concern." Bruce interjected softly into the tense atmosphere. He felt that the Other Guy agreed with his assessment. He had gotten use to the intensive protective feelings that Natasha inspired in him. It was something that he could willingly live with.

"And I understand that but this guy here is tied up with Clint's last mission." Natasha's voice caught at the end as she quickly blinked her eyes as she tapped a manicured fingernail over Simon Hufftun's photograph.

"Oh, I see now!" Steve sat back and folded his arms. He could understand her driving desire to see this mission through to the end; the thirst for vengeance that flowed through the veins. He did wonder if Fury had briefly used that spiel against her.

"Okay, so how do you want us to help?" Tony piped up as he sat down with a glass of amber held within his hand.

"Why the help now, Tony?" Steve looked intrigued at what Tony had said.

"Why not?" Tony tilted his glass back to swallow the rest of his drink.

"What's your game, Tony?" Natasha glanced at him as she tried to read what his intentions were.

"No playing. It's just straight out concern for the little Hawk." Tony smirked as Steve face palmed and shook his head.

"I can't believe you just said that." Bruce hung his head as he gazed out at Natasha. "No sense, I swear." He pulled his glasses off and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Natasha just huff a breath out and folded her arms. _Little hawk indeed_.

"Anyway, before any more blood is shed. When is this gala ball?" Steve asked to stop the intense stare off that Tony and Natasha were undertaking at the present time.

"Two weeks from now." Natasha stated without taking her eyes from Tony.

"Are there any pre-arrangements that we should be considering?" Steve glanced once more around the room.

"Yes, I have been partnered with Agent Aaron McCall for this mission." Natasha sighed as she shifted into a more comfortable position.

"You won't mind if we just happen to join you?" Stark smiled as he leaned forward. "No interference with your work. Just provide the extra look-outs."

"Why, Tony?" Steve was starting to feel like a broken record as he continued to glance at him.

"The fact is that we know next to nothing about Agent McCall. Let alone heard of him. I just don't trust him." Tony folded his arms as everyone conceding on this point.

"I don't need a new partner." Natasha hissed through her teeth.

"We get that." Bruce stated dryly. "It will be hard to replace Barton."

"I don't think we will be taking on any new members." Tony snorted as he leaned forward in his seat. "I'm going to check this McCall guy out. I don't want any hidden surprises to come out and bite us later on." He stood as the meeting was adjourned to a later time. "Pepper now has an excuse to go shopping." Everyone grinned at his parting remark.

"Well, that went awfully well, I think." Steve folded his arms behind his head as he leaned back within his chair. "Considering. . ."

"You going to finished that thought?" Natasha smiled sweetly as her chin rested on her palm. Just because she looked relaxed did not mean that she could kill you before she blinked an eye.

"No, I like my limbs were they are." He grimaced when he realised that he said that out loud. Bruce groaned before Natasha's throaty laughter echoed around the meeting room.

"A circus is what this has become!" Natasha stated before she got up and walked out of the room.

"Note to self, Steve, be careful with what you say around a highly strung pregnant assassin." Bruce chuckled as he stood up as well. "Because you may not be as lucky next time." Making Steve shuddered at that very thought.

* * *

Natasha stopped in front of the door. Drawing in a deep breath as she laid her hand on the scanner and the door unlocked. Her hand was on the handle as she pushed the door open to reveal the room. The blinds were closed as there was little natural light within the room. Quickly flicking the light as her gaze swept over the state of the room. She was not really sure if she was ready to do this as she took a tentative step into the disorganised mess that was Clint's personal quarters.

She sat upon the edge of the bed and continued to scan the room. For someone that did not seem to have many belongings, Clint certainly had a lot by the looks of it. Her hand reached down and snagged the discarded shirt from the floor, lifting it up to her face as she inhaled his scent lightly before she threw it by the door. She could not find his dirty clothes basket. It was not much but Natasha figured to straighten the room out.

Natasha did not realise that she had made herself go into the zone until there was a soft tapping sound at the door. She looked around the room and found that she had straightened it. Breathing a satisfied sigh of as she placed her hands on her lower back and arched to help relieve some of the built up tension.

"Come in." Natasha continued to stretch her tired muscles as Pepper walked into the room.

"You've been busy." Pepper glanced around before her eyes came back to rest upon Natasha. "It looks very good."

"I know. I just couldn't bring myself to throw any of his things out." Natasha explained. "I thought to tidy up a little if he ever comes home again." Her smile held a sense of sadness in it as she slowly reached for a photograph that was laying next to Clint's bed. The frame was holding a photograph of them relaxing on the Hellicarrier. His hand resting upon her shoulder as they stared out over the horizon; seeming like they did not have a care in the world.

"You both look happy." Pepper pointed out as she moved to sit down next to Natasha.

"We were. We had just got back from a simple enough mission and we were relaxing on the roof. Phil took that photo before I could threaten him with grievous bodily harm. He just laughed at me when I did."

"Sounds like a wonderful memory." Pepper whispered wishfully as she glanced once around the room. Another photograph caught her attention as she stood up and walked over to it. "What about this one?" Her finger pointed to the one of interest.

"I did not see that one." Natasha got up off the bed and taken a glance at it. It was the both of them going toe-to-toe with each other. The utterly furious expression that radiated off Clint's face as he glared down at her as she glared back up at him with her arms folded over her chest. Natasha smiled softly at that one

"It looks like you pair were getting ready to clash." Pepper murmured as she continued to study the photo.

"We were, and boy, did we." Natasha chuckled. "Fury was less than pleased that his best team were infighting. It landed us both on the ground with training duties for the next two weeks. I really can't say that Clint liked having his wings clipped for the duration."

"I take that it was early on in your partnership?" Pepper softly questioned as she continued to stare at the red haired assassin. There was a softening in her face as she gazed at the photograph.

"Yeah about two years." Natasha chuckled as she shook her head. "Both stubborn as each other, as Phil kept telling us at the time."

"Phil was a good man." Pepper had always liked the softly spoken agent.

"He was that." Natasha sighed as she ran a hand through her hair. "He kept Clint and I grounded when missions went wrong in a bad way. I just wished that he was still alive."

"Yes, that would be good." Pepper was at a lost for words, so she just sat there and offered her support silently as Natasha finally released her grief for the man that was beyond just a co-worker and friend. He had become like family to her. It was amazing on what you could see after the fact, when there was nothing you could do to change the outcome.

"I don't know what to do anymore." Natasha grimace as she said that.

"Well, I do." Pepper bounced up as Natasha looked at her in confusion. "We need to go shopping for the dress. Do you think you would have something to wear?"

"No, it would give up my game." Natasha muttered as she shook her head as she remembered her debacle with the jeans the other morning.

"Perfect excuse than." Pepper's eyes twinkled as she continued to gaze at Natasha. "I'm sure Tony won't mind buying it."

"And he calls me evil." Natasha chuckled as she stood up and followed the other woman from the bedroom. It was nice having someone to share her memories with, even for a little while. She stopped for a moment as she took the room in. She needed to get his clothing laundry but that was another day as she silently closed the door.

* * *

Clint sat on his front porch and looked out over the frozen ground before him. The sun was shining but it still held no heat as he turned his face up towards it. It was nice to get this rare day as he brought his lips to his coffee mug and drank deeply from it. He snapped to attention when he heard the wolves howl not too far from his humble abode. He did not know what that meant as he slowly lowered his mug down as his sharp eyes peered off into the distance as he seen faint outlines of people heading in his general direction.

He silently swore to himself as he quickly got up and returned back into the cabin. He did not want visitors and these particular ones were putting him on high alert as he stirred his stew on the stove. Natasha would have been proud of him. Sure, he was a fairly decent cook but if he could get out of it, he would. He was debating with himself if he should just get his rifle out or use his bow to warn the travellers off. He did not want the company as he blew a breath out and settled upon his rifle.

Cradling it within his arms as he step back out onto the front porch. He knew that he made a menacing sight and that was the impression that he wanted to give. He could see that the outlines were getting more distinctive and that were three people. He did not like that as he drew in a deep breath.

"That's far enough." He bellowed out. They were a good hundred feet from him as his finger rested near the trigger as one of the figures lifted their hands up and lowered their hood away from their head.

"We mean no harm." A distinctive feminine voice called out as her blonde hair whipped around in the breeze. Clint's brow crinkled in disbelief at what she was saying. His own instincts kicking into gear as the female took a step closer and he moved to level the rifle in their general direction.

"I meant what I said, lady." Clint's voice taking on a harden tone. He was not nervous to say the least but something about this group that just screamed enemy. "What do you want?"

"I don't feel comfortable doing this. Can we come closer? It's cold out here!" The woman cried back as she took any tentative step forward.

"Alright, I just want no trouble." Clint made a split second decision as he lowered his weapon slightly, slipping into a character that he was making up as he went; giving them the impression that he trusted them.

"Thank you, mister." The female stated as she got closer. "I'm Sarah, by the way." She held her hand out.

"James." Clint shook her hand firmly as his eyes flicked towards the others. "And they are?"

"Sorry. How rude of me." Sarah's smile was alittle too well practice as she held her hand out to the side. "This is my brother, Alec and his friend, Misha." Clint almost rolled his eyes; just his luck that he would find Russians out in the middle of nowhere.

"Long way to be travelling!" Clint commented as his gaze took in the sky of darkening clouds over the mountains. "Come inside. You're lucky because there is a nasty blizzard heading this way." Clint muttered to himself as he spied his wolf standing on the edge of the treeline, watching the three newcomers with great interest.

"Thank you." Sarah smiled as she battered her lashes at him. Making Clint startled that she had done that, nothing in his recent memory had he seen Nat bat her lashes at him. But than, all she had ever do was ask and it was hers. He shook his head as he moved inside the doorway.

"There is stew on the stove. I have to collect more wood. Why don't you get comfortable?" Clint pointed to the stove as he pulled on his fingerless gloves before he went out the door again to the wood shed. Quickly stacking the wood as he paused for a moment as he heard crunching of the snow, he spun around and made himself jump a little when he seen one of man stand there.

"Thought you use some help?" His voice was heavily accented when he spoke.

"Sure, help is always appreciated." Clint mentally curled into himself. He could not believe that these people were falling for his facade. He continued to gather more wood into his arms. "What brings you out here?"

"Looking for old friend." The man answered as he bent over to gather wood into his arms.

"Big country." Clint was making small talk.

"So is Russia." The male stated matter-of-factly as he straightened up. "This do?" His English was choppy at best.

"Да." (Yes.) Clint answered with little thought as he exited the woodshed. "Which one are you?"

"Misha." The male grunted as they started the trek across the frozen ground back towards the cabin.

* * *

Natasha feet were starting to hurt as they glanced into one of the store windows that held evening wear. Her brow crinkled as Pepper dragged her literally into the store and marched up to the counter. Her fingers started to tap upon the surface as she waited to be served by the young girl that just stood there; popping her gum as she continued to gaze at the two red heads. Pepper was starting to get annoyed as she finally snapped at her.

"I want to speak to your manager, now." Pepper's frustration leaked through her clenched teeth.

"Yes and how may I be of assistance, Miss?" The older woman seemed just as uninterested as her assistant as she sized up both of the women.

"Miss Pepper Potts, Stark Industries CEO." She seethed through a tight smile upon her features as the woman in front of her paled by several shades at the mention of Tony's name.

"I'm terribly sorry for this oversight. How may I assist you, Miss Potts?" The store manager grovelled which Natasha smirked as Pepper met her eyes for a moment.

"I would like to see that emerald green evening dress in Miss Rushman's preferred size." Pepper commanded her as she turned a smile onto Natasha, who was biting her lip to stop from laughing.

"Of course, right away." She turned around and barked out a command to the sales assistant that had stood quietly throughout the exchange. Her eyebrows lifting up as Natasha rattled off a size that would fit her. Quickly getting the requested article of clothing and brought it over for Natasha's approval. Who nodded as her fingers gently touched the silk threads.

"It's beautiful." Natasha whispered as she watched Pepper pay for the evening gown.

"The colour would suit your colouring and bring your eyes out." Pepper was extremely happy with their purchases and she could not wait to see Natasha in the emerald green silk evening gown. She gathered up the shopping bags and exited the building after issuing delivery instructions for the gown.

"Are we finished because I'm hungry?" Natasha asked as she gazes at the shopping phenomenon beside her.

"Sure, there is a great little cafe near here that I know of." Pepper walked over to the car and allowed Happy to take the bags from her hands. "It's not far to walk to." She tilted her head as Natasha nodded her head.

"I would like that." Natasha smiled as they started down the footpath to the cafe that Pepper had mentioned about. Her stomach started to grumble at the mere thought of food.

* * *

Bruce looked as he heard the soft footfalls of Natasha. Grinning at her when he seen that she held two cups within her grasp. She gently set one of the cups down and before starting to sip from the other one. Her head tilted to the side as she studied him for a few silent moments.

"You are a most difficult person to figure out." Natasha muttered as she drew some coffee from her cup.

"One could say the same thing about you." Bruce retorted as he pried the lid from his coffee as he took a sniff of the floating aroma. Once again, he smiled his gratitude at her as he took a tiny sip of the piping hot coffee. Murmuring as it scolded its way down his throat; leaving a sweet taste behind in its wake.

"I'm meant to be." Natasha shrugged her shoulders as she nursed her cup. "People aren't allowed to figure my game out." She provided some deeper insight for him to see, arching her brow as she continued to search his facial features.

"I get the life and death balance." Bruce's lips quirk a little as he stood and motioned for her to follow him. "You wanted to hear the baby's heartbeat." He happily enquired as he walked over to the examining table.

"That I did." She smiled as she hopped onto the table and swung her legs up before reclining back against the pillow. She lifted her shirt up and tucked it under her breasts.

"Are you reading my mind?" Bruce joked as he pulled a portable hearing device out.

"It's not that hard." Natasha smirked as she folded her hands behind her head. "Check up." Bruce screwed his nose up.

"We'll get to that but first I want to hear the heartbeat." Bruce chuckled as he pressed the microphone to her stomach. Switch the volume on as he moved in different directions before he got the sound of a fast beating heart.

"Wow, is that. . ." Natasha stared in awe at her stomach as Bruce just nodded his head in an up and down motion.

"It sure is." Bruce listened for a couple more of moments before shutting down the device. "It sounds strong and healthy." He was pleased at the rate of beats per minute as he placed the device down and made his way over to the control panel.

Natasha stared at the graphic image on the screen. A soft grasp was the only sign that she was surprised by what she had seen. Bruce made his way over to study some of the more damage tissue that had concerned him earlier. He had taken notes of where the attachment of placenta to the wall was; humming a pleased sound that it appeared to be fine as he continued to take more measures of the child within.

"Can you tell me what the gender is?" Natasha breathed.

"Not really." Bruce pointed to the legs that were crossed. "It won't allow us to see what the baby has hidden."

"No complications?" Natasha was hesitant as she asked the question.

"Yes, for now. I still recommend taking it easy. How is the morning sickness going?" Bruce tapped away on the tablet in front of him as he missed her fleeting expression of frustration.

"It's starting to ease. The vitamins have been helping." Natasha stated as she continued to stare at the almost humanised shape.

"Good, good." Bruce muttered to himself before he glanced up once more. "The child is developing quite nicely and now, all I need is a little blood to make sure that your vitamin levels are where they are meant to be."

"Am I going to have any left because I'm starting to believe you're a damn vampire." She groused before holding her arm out for him to draw what he needed.

"You'll thank me when you deliver a healthy, bouncing baby." Bruce joked at he quickly drew the blood that he needed.

"Don't remind me." Natasha groaned as she closed her eyes and flung her arm over her eyes to cover them.

"You will be fine. I'll analysis this and readjust your dosage if need be." Bruce cleaned up the equipment. "Are there any questions that need addressing?"

"No, I think I'm right at present. Same advice as always: eat well, exercise lightly and get sleep when I can." Natasha recited back as she marked each point off with a flick of her fingers.

"Yeah, that's right." Bruce looked at her sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck as she pulled down her shirt and sat up. It would seem that he had apparently given that advice alittle too often.

"Okay, I'm done here if you are." She raised her brow as she swung her legs over and down before she jumped down and lightly landed upon her feet. Bruce just shook his head and watched her walk out of the room before looking down at the vital that he held loosely within his hand. He really needed to analysis this as he turned around. Tony's accusation rattled around in his mind as he started to zone out from his work as he thought over Tony's findings so far, which it was not much but it was something.

* * *

So that was pretty intense? Next chapter may be a bit longer in coming because I have to flesh it a bit more. I have the bare bones with a little meat. I am hoping to introduce Thor into the mix soon but we'll see. I just can't seem to get him right for the moment but I am working on it.

So until next time, have a good one! ;D


	6. Camera,

Hello everyone. Here is the newest installment for this story. It would have been loaded up early but it was having issues like me not being able to see it. My lips are still sealed as I am currently working on the mission sequence which doesn't want to co-operate with the writer, being me. It's not writer's block as more of the annoyance of shifting through the little tangents that it can go. So please, sit back, relax and enjoy the ride. Thank you for your ongoing support with this story.

**patty cake rocks:** _He'll be back very soon. Just have a bit more patience._

**Inuyuke:** _Thank you for your comment. Enjoy!_

**justsumwhitedude:** _We are getting there but we just have a couple of situations that need to take place first._

**Disclaimer: **I do not own anything and certainly not these characters.

* * *

**Chapter 6: Camera,  
**

**T**ony hung his head as he fought the urge to bang his head against the nearest hard surface which would have been the desk in front of him. His facial features tightened in frustration as he continued to flick through the records that he hacked from S.H.I.E.L.D's database. His fingers lightly tapped out a beat as he flicked through some very basic information that was on Agent Aaron McCall. He huff a breath out as he rubbed a hand across his eyes.

"It can't be that bad?" Bruce asked as his head popped around the doorframe.

"This guy has about as much information as Barton did! And that isn't much." Tony cracked his neck before blinking up at Bruce.

"Yeah, got to love them ghosts." Bruce muttered as he shook his head. "Are you coming for lunch?"

"Nah, you head up." Tony tapped on a photograph. "Does he seem familiar to you?" He asked as he spun around and looked at the empty doorway. "Seem like someone has been taking lessons." Tony shrugged his shoulders before he turned around back to the console. "Jarvis?"

"Yes, Mr Stark?" The British AI voice echoed across the room.

"Does his face seem familiar to you?" Tony asked as he tried to work out where he had seen that face before.

"Not that I can recall, sir." The AI returned. "Will that be all, Mr Stark?"

"Yes Jarvis." Tony muttered under his breath. "I know that face from somewhere." Tony was going to dig deeper into S.H.I.E.L.D's records. Considering the information that he had gleaned so far could be loosely termed as sparse.

* * *

"He's not coming?" Pepper asked as she poured coffee into her mug before adding sugar and cream.

"You almost sound surprised by that!" Steve chuckled as he sat down with his sandwiches that he had just made.

"Alittle bit disappointed maybe." Pepper took a sip of her coffee before she sat down as well. Her blue eyes turned towards the doorway when Natasha walked through. A small smile played along her lips, as Pepper took in Natasha's attire that she had chosen to wear.

"Morning or afternoon?" Steve asked as he bit into his sandwich and completely missed the withering death glare that Natasha had sent him. Bruce rolled his shoulders before sitting closer to the open doorway.

"Does it really matter?" Natasha bit out as she pulled a cup down and filled it with coffee. Her gaze sweeping the room as she mental noted how many people stood here. "Where's Stark?" She asked around a yawn.

"He is currently completing some research, Miss Romanoff." Jarvis' voice smoothly entered the conversation.

"Are we allowed to know or is it classified?" Natasha stated as she took a sip do her coffee. "Nice coffee." She offered into the tense atmosphere.

"Thank you." Pepper whispered as she flicked through her emails on her phone. It may have been a lazy Sunday for them but the business arena never stops. She signed as she closed her phone down. "Sorry everyone, I have to deal with this before it escalates beyond my control." She apologised as she rubbed at her forehead. Bruce watched her intently for a moment before she drained her cup and took it over to the sink.

"He is currently looking for information upon Agent McCall." Jarvis answered as Natasha snorted at this fact. Wished him all the luck in the world because if S.H.I.E.L.D wanted that knowledge lost. It would be very difficult get that particular information.

"Let me know how he goes with that." Steve laughed as he wiped the crumbs from around his mouth before he stood up and washed his plate up.

"He did manage to find that top-secret weaponry." Bruce muttered as he continued to study the people around him.

"That was a lucky shot." Steve folded his arms over his chest as he leaned a hip against the counter.

"Some things are just not on computers." Natasha mumbled as she wrapped a hand around her half empty cup.

"You mean the old fashion way of record keeping." Tony grasped as he walked through the doorway, holding a hand over his arc reactor. "That's just plain cheating."

"But it seems to be highly effective in this computer age." Natasha's smile looked entirely far too toothy for Tony's benefit.

"What happens if it was breached?" Bruce was slightly interested in this.

"You have to know what you are looking for and where it is exactly." Natasha shrugged her shoulders as she got up from the table and moved over to the pantry before opening and started to search for food.

"But still. . ." Steve pattered off as all eyes swung into his direction. "What about fire?" He held his hands up.

"That depends on the information." Natasha held his gaze for a moment before she went back to her search. "There are systems in place for that type of thing."

"How come you know about this?" Tony was intrigued by this wealth of information that Natasha was providing to them.

"I hung around." She flippantly replied to him as her hand wrapped around the item that she wanted. The others were openly staring at her.

"Did she just pull a funny?" Tony stage whispered to his right, which just happen to be Bruce.

"She does that occasionally." Bruce cupped a hand around his mouth as he spoke behind it.

"I can still hear you." Natasha muttered as she pulled herself out of the pantry and walked over to the kettle sitting on the bench.

"Really, noodles in a cup." Tony gawked as he continued to watch her.

"There was nothing else to eat." She shrugged her shoulders as she grabbed a fork and headed back out of the room. Snickering at the dumbfound faces that she left behind.

"And it begins." Tony huff a breath out as he walked over to the pantry and opened it to reveal that there was not much choice to begin with. "Jarvis, where is the food?" Tony asked.

"I don't know, sir. Do you wish for me to order some thing?" Jarvis enquired back.

"No, that is fine." Tony glance away in thought for a moment. "Jarvis?"

"Yes sir." Even for an AI, he was starting to sound slightly annoyed.

"Who does the shopping?" It was not like he really had to think about it. It was always just there when he needed it.

"I believe that chore belongs to Miss Potts, sir." Jarvis was sounding faintly amused by this.

"If you want," Steve stood up and tucked his chair under the table. "I could do the shopping as Pepper is busy at present."

"Doing what exactly?" Tony narrowed his eyes in suspicion as he continued to stare at Steve.

"She mentioned something about controlling a situation before it escalated." Steve shrugged his broad shoulders. "Just give me a list of what we need and I could do the rest."

"You know there are such things as online shopping with the home delivery option." Tony folded his arms.

"And I could use the exercise." Steve lifted his eyebrow up. "It will give me a chance to immerse myself into this modern era."

"Okay. Jarvis print out a shopping list of what we need." Tony announced.

"Certainly, Mr Stark." Jarvis acknowledge.

"Thank you, Stark." Steve stated just as he walked out of the room before making his way over to the machine in the corner where the printout sat.

"It won't bite." Natasha offered up from her spot on the lounge. She was staring out through the big windows, watching the clouds drift lazily passed the glass.

"I know that." Steve chuckled as he grabbed the piece of paper and folded it to be placed within the confinements of his trousers pocket. "Why don't you come with me? We could grab a coffee while we are out. I have been meaning to try this diner out."

"Are you asking me out on a date, Steve?" Natasha smirked as Steve's cheeks slightly redden at her tone.

"No, I just thought. . ." He started too babbled as Natasha threw her head back and deeply chuckled.

"It's alright." Natasha pushed a strand of hair out of her face. "I need some fresh air."

"I'll go and grab a jacket and met you back here in five minutes?" Steve asked as he quickly glanced at the time.

"Sure." Natasha murmured as she stood and stretched her muscles. She could feel the walls were starting to crowd in on her as she made her way to her sleeping quarters and got ready for her trip outside.

* * *

"No." Clint shouted as he sat straight up in bed. He could feel the sweat glisten over his shoulders and neck as he held his head in his hands. He willed his heart to slow down back to normal before glancing at the light that was coming through the crack of the curtains. Swinging his legs over the side of his bed before he begun the familiar routine of starting the fire for breakfast. He shivered slightly in the cool air as he heard soft footsteps behind him. Pooling his features into an unreadable mask before he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder, halting the instinctive shuddering someone else touching his bare skin.

"You had nightmare, yes?" Sarah pouted her bottom lip as she gazed up at him.

"It happens." Clint shrugged her hand from his shoulder as he slowly feed more wood into the fire. Taking a mental inventory that he would need to hunt soon as the supplied had started to run dangerously low. "Have you checked on Alec lately?"

"Yes, he is doing fine. It seems that his fever is coming down." Sarah crossed her arms over her chest. This male was proving to be very stubborn to her wiles and she was not pleased at this obstacle that he was proving to be. She would need to change her tactics if she was to succeed with her mission.

"That would mean that you would be leaving soon?" Clint asked without taking his eyes from the coffee pot that he was making before he tested the heat of the fire and placed it in its designated spot.

"So eager to be rid of us?" She questioned as Clint drew his brows together as he studied her from the corner of his eye.

"I didn't imply that." Clint grunted as he made up some oatmeal. He wished that she would already play her hand. It was a deadly game that they were playing. "Just means that I will have to go hunting today." He offhandedly commented as he continued to watch her minute facial expressions.

"How long will you be gone for?" Sarah pushed her white blonde hair behind her ear.

"Most of the day." Clint gruffly stated before he moved back to his sleeping quarters to gather clothing up for a shower now that the water should be hot enough. "Misha knows where the wood is stacked." He continued the conversation as he quickly walked over to the bathroom door before he closed and latched it shut. His head rested gently on the cold wood door as he heard her curse him in a steady stream of Russian. His own mind latched onto another woman that would curse him in exactly the same language. "Natasha." He breathed against the door before he turned around and started the water, shredding his clothing to stand underneath the hot spray of water.

Sarah stood outside the door with her ear pressed into it as he whispered a name into it. She had no idea who this woman was but she needed to find out quickly but she would wait until James had left the cabin and sorted out the food situation for them. Quickly moving away as she heard his clothing being discarded as the sound of water echoed into the quiet cabin.

"What are you plotting?" Misha cracked one eye open to look at the woman that stood in the middle of the room.

"Nothing. Go back to sleep, Misha." Sarah smiled faintly at the man as he obediently closed his eyes.

"Don't hurt James." Misha mumbled into his pillow. "I like him."

"Bathroom is all yours if you want to use it." Clint came out towelling his hair dry as he walked to his bedroom; thankful that it was separate from the rest of the cabin. He carefully placed into his pocket his S.H.I.E.L.D-issued cellular and his prized Glock G20 into the small of his back. He strapped his Bowie to his thigh as he placed a photograph in his top pocket. He pulled on his fingerless gloves and hooked his fingered gloves to his combat pants. He quickly swept the room to make sure that if Sarah did a search within his sleeping quarters, there was no hard evidence of linking him to anyone of note back home.

He made sure that his side holster was secure as he placed another Glock in it before he picked up his long range rifle and made his way out of the door only to be stopped once more by Sarah gently laying her hands upon him. His hard steel eyes flicked between her face and hand upon him. He was highly unimpressed by her clingy behaviour and he dearly wished for another woman's touch upon his person.

"You'll be careful?" Sarah murmured as she peered up at him through her lashes.

"I always am." Clint half smirked at her as he shrugged her hand off. "Should be back in a couple of hours with some fresh meat." He slung the rifle over his shoulder before stepping off the front porch into the snow. He glanced at his compass before he turned into the north-westerly direction and started his three mile trek to a more secured area.

* * *

"Simon Huftun is just a small time arms dealer." Tony glanced once more at the file that sat in front of him.

"When have you ever known them not to dabble in something else?" Natasha scoffed as she leaned back in her chair with her feet up on the table. Her hands relaxing over her stomach as she felt fluttering movements inside. A small smile teased her facial features for a moment before she listened back in on the conversation.

"Fair point." Tony conceded as he flipped through the pages. "Something just doesn't seem right."

"Have you been able to find extra information about Mr Huftun?" Steve asked as he strolled into the room before sitting down at the table.

"No." Tony shook his head. "We can not even find out with who he is affiliated with." Tony crossed his arms over his chest as he huff a breath out. He had always loved a challenge but this was going far beyond that. It was like he was hiding beneath radar. "You have got to be joking." He crowed as his fingers started to rapidly tap at the tablet build into the desk.

"He's onto something." Steve arched his brow up at the furiously working man in front of him.

"His history was just a little too perfect." Tony muttered quietly as he pierced Steve with a look.

"That is what I had trouble with." Natasha commented as she turned her gaze towards the ceiling. "Which in turns make me wonder if Clint had the same thoughts as I did when he took on this mission?"

"I could believe that." Steve muttered as he placed his forearms on the table. "One thing I could say about Barton was that he was more than a brilliant strategist."

"He would always say that he could see better from a distance." Natasha quietly stated as she slowly scanned her teammates, could she even call them friends now. She was startled with this realisation that her small group of friends had expanded again to include the men that sat within this room. Though she did like Thor as another warrior and gave him the respect that he was due to this fact but it still felt empty. This in turn had her question whether it was the child she carried, that was making her soft or she was starting to gain the understanding that Clint always had. She blinked as she pulled herself from her mental ponderings.

"Uploading the new and improve information now." Tony touched some buttons to have anyone's screen flick to life with the downloaded information.

"We should contact Fury on this one. It seems like someone is in trouble." Natasha stated as she continued to skim through the information. Oh yeah, it was one big ball of tangled wires. "Good work, Stark." She complimented him. Which in turn made everyone's mouth drop open as Natasha placed a call to Fury.

* * *

Clint reached his destination and quickly pulled his cellular out of hiding before dialling a familiar number. He waited a couple of rings before there was a series of clicking which was an indication that the line was secure and he could relay his information safely.

"Delta Bravo here. Sight three Ruskies with one possibly being home grown; threat to be determined. Wait for further instructions."

Clint hung up as his head snapped to the side as he heard crunching sounds. He swiftly pocketed the cellular before swinging his rifle up and around. He butted it against his shoulder in a ready firing position, refusing to drop to a knee, knowing how dangerous that can be when in the wilderness. His stance was unmoving as he heard a faint growl not twenty feet from his current position.

He silently cursed at his luck of having a wolf pack on his tail. While it was to be expected, he would say that he would be more surprised if he did not have them to begin with. It seemed that he could attract them as they continued to watch him from a distance, which was just fine by him as he slowly lowered his weapon down and started to walk to where he had heard the growling. He slowly cleared the treeline to see blood splashed over the pristine white of the snow. His eyes clearly falling to the wolf tracks as his pocket vibrate.

He had not really expected them to get back to him so quickly. His hand went into his pocket as his eyes continued to scan the horizon for the pack as he quickly glanced at screen to read his instructions. Awareness tickled along the back of his neck as he spied one lone wolf not twenty feet away from him. He knew that the rest of the pack was watching him from the other advantage points.

* * *

"Mr Stark, Director Fury is requesting admittance." Jarvis slid the statement smoothly into the heated atmosphere.

"Well, don't keep the man waiting, Jarvis." Tony snark as he continued to glare at Steve.

"Right away than, sir." Jarvis almost sighed as he acknowledge Fury's request and allowed him access into the tower.

"Why have I been called to the tower?" Fury demanded as soon as the doors opened in front of him.

"It seems we may have found new information, sir." Natasha glared at Tony who just continued to smirk at her.

"Not we but I." Tony heckled at Natasha as her face gathered more thundery clouds with each passing comment out of Tony's mouth.

"Keep talking Stark." Natasha warned softly as she slightly tapped her thigh.

"And welcome to the Avenger Travelling Circus. Take a seat at ringside and we can get this show on the road." Tony jovially called to the men standing in the doorway as Steve let out a bark of laughter at Natasha's dumbfounded expression.

"Did I just walk into the twilight zone?" Agent McCall asked with some confusion as he continued to study the group in front of him. His sandy brown head tilted to the side before he took a seat.

"You get use to them." Bruce looked at him seriously for a moment before a tiny grin broke across his face as he stretched his hand out to the man in front of him. "Bruce Banner."

"Nice to meet you." Aaron stated as he firmly shook hands with him.

"Ah yes. Another ghost." Tony's piercing gaze searched the young man in front of him. "If I didn't know any better." He tilted his head to the side. "You could be Barton's kid."

"Highly unlikely." Aaron scoffed. "My father is long dead. My mother told me that one."

"Just saying." Tony held his hands out but continued to study the kid in front of him like he was a new science mystery that needed to be unravelled.

"Don't worry about him. He always puts his foot into his mouth more times than I care to count." Steve's voice taking on a drolly quality as he stuck his hand out to be shaken by Aaron. "Steve Rogers and, big mouth here, is Tony Stark. You already know Natasha."

"Now, that the formalities are over. Can we get to what you brought me here for?" Fury ground out as he sat heavily in his seat. His hands folded behind his head as he watched the team exchange looks between them before Natasha sat forward and opened her mouth to fill them in on the new details that they had found. Now, they would need to restructure with a new plan.

* * *

Makes you wonder what is going on. So until next time, have a good one! ;D


	7. Action!

Hello, everyone. Here is a fresh installment for this little series that we have going. Atleast, we get to wrap up the mission and we can move onto the next phase. Yes, the lips are still sealed for now. Currently, it seems that I may another story in the pipeline that is something a little AU but we'll see where and how that is developing. I may also be writing a one-shot as well but from something earlier in their partnership. So yes, I have ideas buzzing around in my head currently. I have also started a new course which could affect my writing time but considering that I have started to write chapter 8. I don't think we have to much to worry in that department. Please sit back, relax and enjoy the ride!

**Patty cake rocks: **_Hopefully, this will fix that impatience to see more. Enjoy!_

**DISCLAIMER: **I own nothing and making absolutely no money from these characters. It is reasonable to believe that they will be returned to their original owners in slightly more used condition than I got them. They may or may not have grown as human beings, billionaires, demi gods and The Other Guy. Time will only tell.

* * *

**Chapter 7: Action!**

**"T**hat just sounds so messed up." Fury shook his head in disbelief as he made a mental note to evaluate his intelligence department because it was just plain embarrassing to be out thought by Tony Stark, himself. Clearly, someone had something to hide or this was a genuine rookie mistake which he did not really need. "And you think that your plan will work?"

"Most definitely. We need all the intelligence we can get if we are to take it down." Steve piped up as he shifted forward upon his seat to rest his forearms against the desk.

"Well, this does change the game. You sure you're up for the challenge, Agent Romanoff?" Nick studied Natasha as she leaned back within her chair.

"Easy." She shot him a tiny smile as she waited.

"Though her role in the capture has been altered slightly enough." Steve ventured on bravely.

"And what do you mean by that?" Fury glanced intently at each team member as the continued to shot weary looks towards Natasha. "You have something to tell me, Agent Romanoff?"

"Not until the mission has been completed, sir." Natasha stated calmly enough for Fury to continue to watch her.

"You know I could ground you." Fury held a poker face as he gaze shifted.

"That would be unadvisable." Bruce rubbed his forehead as he spoke quietly into the tense atmosphere.

"And than would you care to explain, Doctor Banner?" Fury finally snapped out.

"No, I can't." Bruce hardened his eyes as he stared down the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. "Atleast not yet, anyway." He muttered in an after thought tone.

"So let me get this straight." Fury could feel a migraine coming as he mentally shifted through the facts that had just been laid bare to him. "It's pivotal that Natasha take down Simon Huftun as a prisoner to be interrogated instead of being buried six feet under the cold hard dirt."

"Yes, sir. It is." Steve straightened his shoulder as Director Fury turned his one eye upon him. Disbelief warring within his mind as Fury finally gave a nod in understanding.

"So be it." Fury acknowledged before he stood up. "I have an organisation to run. Agent McCall will be left here as you, clowns, can fill him on the details. I will be expecting results." He glanced at each one before turning upon his heels and stalked from the room.

"Right, we need to finalise the details as the gala is in two days time." Steve ran a tired hand down his face.

* * *

Clint swore long and hard as the rest of the pack made their presence known. It was becoming painfully obvious, well to him anyway, that his life was turning into one big tangled ball of drama. And that was putting rather nicely as he shifted his rifle into the air and fired off a shot, in the hopes that the pack would turn tail. It would seem that his luck had ran out today as the ears laid flatten against their heads and they took a step forward with teeth bared.

"Well, it's been nice knowing you." A smirk pulled at his lips as he quickly counted the wolves that he could see; twelve. He had known that it had been a hard winter for the region as he scanned for a branch low enough for him to grab onto and haul his backside to safety. He was also not stupid enough to believe that he could fight them all off.

His body broke out into a sprint as he spotted the tree that would serve his purpose. He would give the pack a hour or two to clear out before he started target practise. He launched himself to reach the lower branches as the alpha male sprung forward into motion as well. Clint wrapped his fingers and pulled himself up, using his upper body strength to heave his weight onto the branch before he started the climb higher into the tree. Grunting as he felt the sharp teeth sink into his right ankle before he used his left foot and kicked down to remove the male from his leg.

He could feel the trail of wetness pool within the heel of his boot. It was going to be a problem when he needed to remove the article of clothing. He climbed upon the was perched near the middle of the tree where the foliage was good and acted as a shield against the bone chilling wind that was blowing. Thankfully, the temperature had not started to drop as yet to indicate that a blizzard was on its way. He unlatched his fingered gloves before peeling the fingerless ones off and shoving them into his jacket pocket as he straddled the branch. He pulled them on and turned his eyes once more to the circling pack below. He settled down and started to mentally mark the time off.

* * *

Natasha rubbed her forehead before she closed her eyes briefly to the bickering that was happening around her. Her stomach was deciding that it might be the best time to make itself known as it slowly churned with an unnamed emotion.

"Are you alright, Natasha? You don't look crash hot?" Steve's voice held certain gentleness to it as she cracked an eye open marginally to search his expression for falsities that laid there. She knew that she would not read any because this was Steve Rogers, Captain America; the good boy next door. She snorted at her own reasoning.

"No, I am fine." Hints of her accent bleed through the obvious lie as she closed the eye that she had been looking through.

"What do you think, Banner." Tony jumped to his feet. "That everyone gets their medical evaluations done now."

"I'm right." Aaron held his hands up as the others just stared at him. "Just had mine done last week."

"Ha, nice try." Tony barked before levelling a telling smirk at him.

"I need something to begin with if you are to join us." Bruce just reasoned as well as he stood up as well. "Are you coming?" He glanced at Steve and Natasha as he turned to leave the room and head towards the medical lab.

"I keep telling you, Bruce." Natasha mumbled as she slowly raised herself to her feet and the headache increased.

"You have a new name for the other guy?" Steve looked faintly surprised at this.

"Yeah, Doctor Vampire!" Natasha snickered as she moved forward and turned at the doorway. "Come on; let's get this over and done with." She held her hand up to her mouth as she yawned into it. She was feeling more tired these days.

"Natasha." Bruce groaned as Tony laughed at the expression that Bruce was wearing. "It's a necessary evil."

"I know." She shrugged her shoulders as they stepped into the elevator.

"I have sent a request through for your medical record from S.H.I.E.L.D, Agent McCall." Bruce spared the other man a look before turning back around when the ding of the elevator indicated that they had reached their designated floor for the medical lab.

"Why?" McCall tensed up as he swung his gaze towards Bruce.

"I need to know that there is nothing that could impede your performance with this operation." Bruce stared at him with such a serious expression that Aaron backed down and settled back into his corner as he waited for them to disembark from the elevator. "I need to draw blood from you, Romanoff."

"Someone annoyed Bruce." Tony snark as he glanced at Natasha.

"Wasn't me." She held her hands up before making her way over to the chair and held her arm out as Bruce got the equipment ready. She grimace a little as he tightened the belt and it pinched her skin. "I'm not going to lose feeling in my arm permanently?" She arched her eyebrow as he gave her a sheepish look and released the pressure slightly.

"Sorry." Bruce murmured an apology before he slid the needle in to draw the needed amount of blood. Natasha did not flinch from it as he tapped a cotton ball to the injection site. "This will take a couple of moments to analysis". Natasha nodded her head before she got up and removed herself from the room.

"What's wrong with her?" Tony thumbed in her general direction as Bruce stared at her for a moment.

"Loneliness."

"That's a tough one." Tony murmured as he clapped Bruce on the back before turning back. "Just remind me to kick Barton's backside when I see one." Bruce rolled his eyes as he shook his head. He needed to get this done before they went onto the next phase of the preparation for this mission.

* * *

Two hours, twenty three minutes and a handful of seconds. That is how long he had been up that blasted tree. He needed to get down and make his way back to the cabin. That was if he would be able to move his semi frozen limbs again. He could not feel the flow blood as he slowly shifted his body weight. The pack had decided to leave the vicinity as they figured that he would not be coming down anytime soon and they were hungry. He had proven to be difficult prey but that did not mean that they were not watching and waiting from a distance. That false sense of security, that could lure him in.

Clint slowly made his way down the tree before landing in a crouched position on the ground as he jumped the last ten feet. Swinging his head around as he searched the area for any threats. He quickly readjusted the rifle strap upon his shoulder as he made his way back to his lodgings. He knew that he would have to forgo fresh meat tonight and try his luck again tomorrow.

A quick glance towards the darkening sky allowed him to see that he did not have much light left and he would need to get indoors before the temperature dropped much lower. He still had a little over two miles to trek as he sunk up to his knees; growling low in his throat as he felt the cold and wetness seeping through his pants. He hoped that the fire was roaring by the time that he had arrive because he knew that he would need to be defrosted in front of it.

* * *

Natasha was feeling overwhelmed as she held her head in her hands. She took a deep breath before she turned her gaze out over the skyline of the city. Her body shivering slightly as the wind blew against her exposed skin. A soft shuffling of feet drew her attention as she sat slumped over the safety rail.

"I thought I would find you here." Steve approached her before he squatted down next to her. His blue eyes staring out over the horizon as he waited patiently, taking in the peaceful surroundings around them.

"Wasn't really trying that hard to hide." She sighed as she closed her eyes.

"It is abit to take in." Steve breathed as he draped his forearms over his knees. Natasha just shook her head at the understatement of his sentence. "You know that it is perfectly fine."

"I don't know what you mean by that." Natasha raised her eyebrow as she pierced him with her intense gaze; holding no malicious intent in them.

"I think you do but you just don't want to name it." He slid a small smile at her sharp intake of breath.

"Are you calling me a coward?" Her face morphing with disbelief as Steve threw his head back and laughed deeply. It quickly switched through different expressions before settling into a blank canvas.

"Actually, far from it!" He still guffawed with each peek at her face. A silent tear sliding down his cheek before he settled back down. "I firmly believe that you one of the strongest people that I know of." He tilted his head before shaking it sadly. "But don't allow it to kill you." He patted her on the shoulder before straightening to his full height.

"How can you be sure?" She softly questioned as she turned her head to search his features; noticing the lingering sadness and immanence strength that his eyes held. The knowledge of having something close to you lost forever.

"I don't." He stated simply before walking across the roof to the door. "I can see why this was his favourite place." He turned the door handle as she spoke softly into the atmosphere.

"He could always see better from a distance."

* * *

He could just make out the flickering lights through the windows as he slowly approached the house. It had grown darker quickly and with that, the temperature had dropped to somewhere just pass freezing. His muscles were starting to cramp up as he got to the stairs and pulled his weight up and through the door. His teeth clattered within his skull as he stomped the excess snow from his feet. He made his way over to the fire and stood in front of it as he rubbed his hands together. The warmth slowly defrosting his frozen limbs as the blood circulated sluggish around his body.

"You're back?" Sarah exclaimed as she looked up at him. "Did you get much meat?" Clint just shook his head as he blew into his hands.

"No, got stuck up a tree." Clint grimace as he said it. He mental slapped himself because it sounded like a weak excuse if it had not been the truth.

"Why were you stuck up a tree?" Her voice carried a hint of something. Something, that he just could not place his finger on it. It did rather sound like she was suspicious, but that would make no sense at all.

"I had a pack up my ar . . ." Clint stopped and blinked at her as a horrified expression crossed her face. He rubbed his hand down his face.

"Hello James." Misha offered a small smile before he walked into the bathroom which Clint returned with a small nod of his head.

"So, do you have an estimation of time when you are leaving?" Clint asked as he slowly made his way over to where his cup was and poured himself a cup of coffee.

"Why are you so determined to push us out into the cold?" Her voice dripped with sugary intent and Clint had to fight the urge to roll his eyes at her attempts.

"I'm not but you did mention that you had to find someone." Client watched her face closely. He had his doubts but he wanted them confirmed. "You never did say who the person was?" He tilted his head for a moment in thought as he brought his mug to his lips.

"Strange how you as a lonely man live out here," Sarah stepped forward as she placed a hand between his pectoral muscles. "With no one but himself for company." She licked her bottom lip as she peered into his stormy eyes.

"Who said I was lonely?" Clint hiked up an eyebrow as his gaze switched between her hand and her face. He could not say that he was surprised by her forwardness. It almost reeked of Natasha, early on in their partnership. "Sorry, sweetheart but I'm not interested in what you have to offer." His hand closed over her wrist to remove it from his chest.

"Don't I do it for you?" She pouted as she peered through her eyelashes at his face.

The harsh bark of laughter he let loose as he turned harden eyes upon her. "I have just buried my wife. There is nothing that you can offer me." With that statement ringing in their ears, he turned around and stalked to his bedroom before slamming it with such force that it left jarred teeth in the aftermath. His back teeth grinding together as he pushed the pain aside. He may have not spoken the proper truth but that was how he felt.

"What is wrong with him?" Alec asked as he came out of the guest bedroom.

"Nothing!" She scrunched her nose up in distaste as his rejection leaving a bitter taste behind.

"Do not worry, love." He dropped a chaste kiss upon her forehead as he rubbed the back of her neck. "We are closer to our objective."

"Yes patience. I know." Sarah breathed in deeply as they stood in the kitchen.

* * *

Natasha's green eyes swept around the room as she smoothed her gown down over her hips before making her way over to the bar and ordered her drink of choice. She felt nervous at present, which she should not have been. Considering this type of mission was catered to her specific skill set. She drew a deep breath before allowing it to exhale softly between her slightly parted lips. She spun around to continue watching the room; the tip of her tongue touching briefly upon her top lip.

"I don't think he'll show." Tony sounded bored as he continued to work the room.

"Still early in the night." Steve fidgeted as he stood on the edge of the room; his blue eyes scanning all the faces that they touched upon.

"Just keep your eyes peeled for him." Agent McCall growled through the earwigs as he shifted in his place.

"He will keep a low profile when he enters the room." Natasha offered into the conversation as she smiled at the gentleman in front of her; shaking her head when he offered to refill her beverage.

"Tony," Pepper walked up and feed her arm through. She looked up at him with a soft smile upon her face, tugging gently as she manoeuvred him away. "I want you to met Mr Kratter."

"Okay, Pepper." Tony smiled down at her as his hand cupped over hers.

"Remind me again on why you are here?" Steve gibed as he caught the attention of a woman in red. It was just beyond cliché that it was not funny.

"Because I could realistic get in here since it was a charity ball." Tony laughed boisterously at the joke that he was told. "It really doesn't matter if I am here or not because this is were the filthy rich are. You want money for funding and than this place is where you need to be. Connections are everything in this world."

"I can see your point but. . ."

"It's that basic, Cap." Natasha made another sweep of the room before she sucked in a sudden breath. "He's here."

"Roger that, Black Widow. Proceed with caution." Aaron acknowledged as he spied through the binoculars to the room below his position.

"Where?" Steve craned his neck to search the room.

"Good way to make yourself to stand out." Tony snarked. "Try to be a little bit more subtle in the situation."

"I'm going to engage him." Natasha suddenly decided as she tuned out their bickering. She took a sip from her glass as she made her way over to the man that stood at the doorway; his cold hazel eyes briefly flickering down onto her before he dismissed her.

"Oh, that's got to hurt." Tony crowed as he continued to glance around the room. "He might not be that into you."

"Tony!" Steve reprimanded while feeling slightly embarrassed from the conversation. He knew about such things but they were never openly discussed about like they are in public, in this new modern age. It was one of the few things that he was still getting use to.

"Stop the radio chatter." McCall was getting a headache and a touch of whiplash.

"Yep, you have got to love Bluetooth technologies." Tony sing-sang as Steve shook his head.

"You never can shut him up on a good day." Natasha muttered as she reworked her plan of engagement. "Now, hush. I'm thinking."

"Now, don't think too. . . Oomph . . . Pepper!" Tony whined as he had his fun taken away from him; a very telling expression in her eyes that had warned him to play nice with the others.

Natasha drew closer to the bar as she eyed her quarry. Signalling for the bar keep as she placed her order in for a strawberry spritzer. Allowing a mysterious smile to curl her lips as an idea formed within her head. She made her way slowly to Simon Huftun as she sipped at her refreshing drink.

"These things can be quite boring?" Natasha asked in an upper class accent as she slowly scanned the faces around her.

"I concur with you, Miss?" He lifted an eyebrow up.

"Winters, Naomi Winters." Natasha purred as she held her hand to be shaken. "And you are?" She licked her bottom lip.

"Simon Huftun." He grinned slightly at her.

"Sorry, I am not very familiar with your name. What do you when you are not at these gatherings?" She shifted closer to him, tilted her head with interest.

"A bit of this and that." He smiled down at the lovely red head upon his arm.

"Not a very good description if you want to make an investment." Se shrugged her shoulders as she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"How about we get somewhere more private and I tell you exactly what I do?" His hot breath brushed passed her ears as he leaned down slightly to whisper into them.

"Sure, why not." Natasha discreetly signalled the others that she was leaving the room, walking down a corridor as they glanced at the paintings upon the wall. "This should far enough from prying eyes and ears." Natasha heard the tell tale scoff within her ear piece.

"It's really quite simple, my dear Miss Winters." Simon's normal cordially tone changing to a more sinister and far more worrying voice. "You would make the perfect addition to my collection." He stated as he sprung forward with a closed fist aimed at her head.

"I wouldn't say that." Natasha deflected the blow before going in low with a swing of her own. She had to concentrate as she deflected and retaliated with her own swings. She sucked in a deep breath as she took a hit to the side of her ribs. That one was going to bruise as she took another punch to her stomach, making her double over as a sharp pain ripped through her body. Already she was tired of him as she jumped up and wrapped her thighs around his throat and forced his body to the ground, before knocking him out cold from the punch to the jaw.

"Remind me never to get on the bad side of you." Tony grasped as he stepped forward to help her up from the ground. Natasha stumbled slightly when she reached her feet, her world spinning around. "I got her. Gag and bag him."

"Rear exit. Due east." Natasha breathed out through her nose as more pain wracked through her body. "We need to get him to S.H.I.E.L.D for the information that he carries."

"He is one sick and twisted individual." Tony murmured as he carried most of Natasha weight. "You sure that you're fine?"

"Just peachy with a side of cream." Natasha deadpanned before a minute grimace touched her features briefly.

"Yeah, right." McCall echoed across. "I would be very surprised if you didn't have a shattered rib or two."

"It's alright. Bruce can look at you when we get back to the tower." Tony muttered as he shifted her weight. The rear exit came into sight as several agents stood at the door and waited to receive the package. Looking everywhere but at the beaten-up Black Widow who was almost be carried out by Ironman, himself.

"Here is the package." Natasha gritted out through her clenched teeth as Steve dropped the unconscious man into the nearest agent's arms.

* * *

So the mission is over with and some of the pieces are in place for phase two. Makes me wonder what will happen when Nat gets to Bruce? So until next time, have a good one! ;D


	8. Idiot

Hello, everyone. See I haven't fallen off the edge of the earth. I apologise for the lateness of this chapter but I have been busy writing up assessment pieces and finally remembered that I had to post up a chapter. So here it is. I think the title is pretty self-explanatory as to what this chapter is about. So please sit down, relax and read on.

**ThatGirlWithTheFedora:** _All will be revealed soon enough with these two characters. All I can say is that they will be reunited soon. Very soon._

**MBrabs1996:**_ I am glad that you love it so far. Enjoy!_

**bluerose921:** _Updated, it has been. Most likely not as quick as one would have liked but it's here._

**DISCLAIMER: **I own nothing at all and certainly none of these fine, upstanding characters. I am only borrowing them until the end of this story and than they will be returned not the wiser to their actual owners. Maybe a little more damaged with extras but I am sure that they won't mind.

* * *

**Chapter 8: Idiot.**

**N**atasha grimaced as she lightly probed the sore area surrounding her ribs. It was going to be a slight inconvenience but nothing that she could not handle. Considering that she had wounds harsher than the current one that she was sporting. She rotated her jaw to make that the target had not dislocated it and her tongue feeling for any loosen teeth. She was happy with her medical assessment of herself as she folded her hands over her bump but Tony had been very adamant about her going to Bruce for an examination.

"Natasha." Bruce clicked his fingers in front of her face as she zoned out in her thoughts.

"Huh?" Natasha responded as felt the cramping in her abdominal region. She must have allowed her face to minutely express the pain that she was currently in.

"Where does it hurt?" Bruce pushed his glasses up as she studied her facial features closely, noting the sweat that was gathering upon her brow. He gently placed his hands on her ribs but it was quickly determined that was not the area that was causing her such discomfort.

"Stomach." Natasha stated flatly as she slid down the bed as Bruce lifted her shirt up to reveal the bruise that was forming over her ribs. "Ouch." She deadpanned as she glanced at it.

"Hmm." Bruce just lifted his eyebrow up at her words before he gently probed her stomach around the bruising, keeping his eyes trained on her facial expressions. "Does it hurt here?" He continued to ask with every second touch.

"Feeling like I'm cramping." Natasha breathed.

"That doesn't sound good." Bruce muttered to himself. "I have to get an ultrasound to see what exactly is going on."

"What's wrong, Bruce?" Natasha voice went just slightly abit higher with worry.

"It was already a high risk pregnancy." Bruce voice had grown slightly harder as he looked at her with reproach. "Getting slugged in the ribs, would not have helped the survival rate of your child." He puffed a breath out.

"So you are saying that I could be losing. . ." Natasha closed her eyes for a moment as her heart clenched with anger at herself for being such an idiot.

"That is a very distinct possibly that I am currently entertaining." Bruce looked at her with a knowing expression before turning his head back to the buttons that he was pressing.

"What do you mean by high risk? That this was always a possibly that you neglected to inform me about?" Natasha blood pressure rose with each of her questions.

"Natasha, your uterus is so heavily scarred that you should not have even conceived; let alone have it attached to a relative undamaged part of that wall." Bruce growled low within his chest. He was not angry just more frustrated at the situation.

"I know that is not possible but it is." Natasha whispered into the tense atmosphere. "I will be raising this child by myself because I can't have Clint to help me."

"You're not as alone as you think you are." Bruce glanced into her eyes. "We are here to help if and when you need it."

"Thanks, Bruce." Natasha murmured before closing her eyes. She was starting to feel like a needy little child that always needed confirmation to do something.

"It is strange and it will take time for you to get use to having people there. I know Clint taught you to trust as you have demonstrated in past battles. Believe me; we all had learnt that lesson." Bruce glanced over the top of his glasses as he continued to click away at the buttons. A small smile touched his lips before the screen flicked to life revealing the growing embryo resting within its safe confinement. "Let's hear its heartbeat." He murmured as he flicked the audio switch to have the sound echoing around the room.

"I will never grow tired of hearing that." Natasha breathed as she took note of the rapid beating.

"Yes but he seems to be a bit upset." Bruce hummed as he continued to search. "Oh."

"What do you mean by that?" Natasha was on high alert.

"You are being placed on bed rest for a period of time." Bruce grimaced as Natasha tensed up. He really wished there was a much easier way to speak to her. His finger pointed to the affected area as he drew a deep breath in. "You have a two centimetre tear here. Which could potential be highly dangerous to you and the child."

"How?" Natasha was flabbergasted.

"I would hazardous a guess of you taking a strike to your abdomen region. That would have rendered a tear to the placenta." He pointed to the bruising area of her ribs. "I strongly advise and stress that you should tell Director Fury about it."

"I had plans of telling him after we captured Simon Huftun." Natasha smiled slightly as a frown came onto her face. "So, I am on light duties?" Her brow quirking as he made a short bark of humourless laughter at her suggestion.

"Bed rest Natasha." He folded his arms over his chest as she scowled at him.

"Light duties". She bargained as she mimicked his stance.

"Nope." He stated as he popped the "p" sound. "Bed rest without sedation unless you want to try option two."

"You drive a hard bargain." She groused as she closed her eyes against the triumphant expression within his eyes and upon his face.

"I had a very good teacher." He retorted as he finished with the rest of the examination. He was not stupid enough to believe that Natasha had let him win this round of battle of wills. She had some trick up her sleeve, so he would have to keep a closer eye upon her to make sure that she got the required amount of rest. She needed to slow down rapidly or she would do some serious harm to the unborn child and Bruce thought that she would not want to be held accountable for any harm.

* * *

"Hill." Fury barked as he made his way over to her. His hands folded behind his back as he came to stand besides her.

"Yes sir." She spoke quietly as she read the tablet in front of her. Her eyes glanced up briefly before falling back down again.

"Is there something going on at the Avenger's Tower that I should know about?"

"That is not my place to say whether there is something that needs your attention or not." Her brows lifted faintly in surprised as she glanced briefly at his slightly amused expression.

"But you do know what is going on?" Fury crowed in delight as Maria flinched for her poor choice of wording.

"I will just say that you better be sitting down when it comes to light." Maria retorted before she could dig herself a bigger hole and find herself on the receiving end of a certain assassin which she had seen that certain assassin's partner be. She never wanted to be in that position if she could help it at all. It really was not a pretty picture. She shuddered at the mental imagines.

"I'll take that under advisement." Fury glanced around the command centre as Maria allowed a brief smirk touch her lips before she smothered the emotion back into submission. "My office. Five minutes." He spun upon his heels and made his way back there as Marie shook her head as she closed down the file that she had been reading.

* * *

"Whoa there. And where do you think you're going?" Steve held up his hands in attempt to stop the red headed assassin from leaving the tower.

"To the Helicarrier." Natasha folded her arms over her chest as she thought about the best way to get around her current pesky obstacle in the form of Steve Rogers.

"Don't even contemplate whatever you think of doing." He stared sternly at her. "Bruce said bed rest for you." His voice commanding as he stood ramrod straight at the calculating look that entered Natasha's eyes.

"And I need to let Fury know that." Natasha lashed out.

"You don't need to leave the tower for that." Steve lifted his brow up at her mulish expression. "We can contact Fury from here or Stark may . . ."

"What may I do?" Tony sauntered out of the kitchen with a glass of amber liquid held loosely within his hand before he brought it up and tipped the contents back in one mouthful.

"I need to see Fury." Natasha breathed out as she controlled the urge to roll her eyes at his obtuseness.

"Natasha has an appointment with Fury." Steve almost threw his hands up in the air.

"Well, it's very much over due." A very meaningful look upon her face.

"I get that but why now?" Tony clicked his fingers as he continued to study her as he did so.

"I have been forced to retire from the field for the foreseeable future." Natasha gritted through her teeth. She was growing tired of not being able to do simple things and she had only just been sidelined.

"I want to be a fly on the wall with that conversation." Tony smirked at the fuming woman in front of him. "So let me guess that you are not allowed to do certain activities. . ."

"Like walking." Natasha interrupted Tony.

"Walking, really?" Tony hid a snicker. "That's a bit harsh."

"Bruce words not mine." Natasha spat as she folded her arms.

"Not quite what I said." Bruce defended himself as he came down the corridor. His stomach had been loudly protesting the need for food as he came upon the conference being held within the corridor that leads to the place that held the food. "I recommended a couple weeks of bed rest before returning to light duties. No training the troops."

"That's not how it sounded to me." Natasha griped as she stared hard at the resident doctor.

"Don't blame me for your abruptness of leaving the room." Bruce glanced once more at the people milling around as his stomach loudly protesting the delay of food. "If you'll excuse me, I'm hungry."

* * *

Maria drew a deep breath in as she lightly rapped her knuckles against Director Fury's door. Only exhaling it when a terse command of enter reached her ears did she gently pushed upon the door. Her vision quickly scanned the surrounding area as she stepped through and made her way over towards his desk, standing loosely but attentively. His fingers steepled as a hard expression settled upon his face.

"You wanted to see me, Director?" Maria made sure to regulate her breathing as she continued to study the man in front of her. It was like watching a cage beast and if she thought about it deeply enough that description was beyond adequate for the present situation.

"I want you to head down to Avenger's Tower and gather all relevant Intel on Simon Huftun because someone in the intelligence division just might get their backside chewed."

"That's pretty serious, Director." Maria folded her arms over her chest, slightly more comfortable knowing that it was not her getting the needed chewing.

"It is." Nick glared at her heatedly before he spun around within his chair. "We are now in damage control. Has our guest been talkative yet?"

"He is still refusing too." Maria sighed. It had only been thirty-six hours since pick up and he had not shown any cracks yet. "They think he is a few days away."

"Tough little bastard ." Nick stated as he nodded his head. "Well trained operative than."

"That is the general consensus among the ranks." Maria agreed with him.

"Continue to work on him." Fury ordered. "I want that file and I want answers." He growled as he stared straight out of the window. His back tense as Maria shifted uncertainly upon her feet.

"I get right onto it now." Maria answered quickly.

"Dismissed!" Fury stated bluntly as Maria made a quick exit from the room. She did not envy the person that had started this whole snowball rolling; her heels clacking against the metal grate as she made her way to the hanger.

"Deputy Director, your jet is this way." One of the junior agents called out to her. Maria stopped and spun upon her heels as she levelled a look in his direction.

"No, I don't need a jet." Her voice was icy as she spun back around and headed towards the helicopter section of the hanger bay. "I want Agent Levi."

"Yes, Ma'am." Chorused behind her as they ran to do what was ordered of them.

* * *

"This is not a social call, Stark." Maria headed him off as soon as she touched down on the roof helipad.

"I got that." Tony pointed to the evidence of her and the helicopter. "And him?"

"He's just the pilot." Maria stated as Tony's eyebrows shoot up into his hairline. "You look surprise?" She had a small smirk upon her face at her off-handed comment.

"No, I'm good." Tony shrugged his shoulders as he dive his hands into his pockets. "Are you going to tell me as to what we owe this pleasure to?"

"Oh, you know. The usual." Maria replied flippantly as they made their way through the access doors and out of the weather. "We need the information that you discovered." She spun around to confront him.

"Sure but I could have just emailed it to you or Fury." Tony searched her facial features, the tiny stress lines as her brow furrowed in deep concentration.

"Too risky." She glanced around the room. "Director Fury thinks we have a breach within the Intel department."

"Flying under the radar, you might say." Tony moved his head to indicate that they should move this to the conference room. She confirmed his suspicion at the nod of her head. "That was what got us as well."

"What do you mean?" Maria was intrigued at this information.

"It was actually Natasha that brought it to light when she said that something did not feel right with what she was reading. It was a little bit too perfect you could say. I had initially put it down to her being paranoid considering it was Barton's mission." Maria nodded her head in understanding. It could get that way with partners, the need for vengeance.

"That would be a highly probable scenario."

"But than I thought about it myself and started to dig a little deeper into the cover story." Tony pulled the file up onto the screen in front of them. "And this is what we had found." He raised his eyebrows as he took a step back and allowed Maria to see the evidence that had been gathered so far.

"Can anybody else get this?" She asked as she glanced up and pierced him with a hard stare.

"No. Only a few select know the true location of this file." Tony folded his arms over his arc reactor. "I think more information could be gathered with the right resources but I just don't have the time for things like that."

"I'll see what I can do and if you managed to track down some information. You know how to get in touch." Maria closed down the file and stored it on the encrypted flash drive that she had on her person.

"Yeah by the bat light." Tony deadpanned as Maria looked at him strangely for a moment before determining from the twinkle within his eyes that he was joking.

"Very funny." Maria half smiled as she turned around and made her way over to the door.

"Would you care for a drink or are you on duty?" Tony asked as he moved behind her. Maria paused for a moment as she debated with herself before nodding her head.

"I'll have that drink." Maria smiled as she pushed the door opened to stop short. "Sorry Mr Rogers. I did not see you there."

"That is alright, Agent Hill." Steve murmured as he glanced passed her shoulder to look at Tony.

"Maria has kindly stayed for a drink." Tony smiled a him. "You could join us."

"Thank you, Tony." Steve inclined his head as he stood away from the door and held it open for Maria to step through.

* * *

"It seems that we have an informant that has been captured." Alec whispered as he got closer to Sarah. Clint had disappeared earlier in the day and still not had returned as yet.

"When?" Sarah blinked up at him.

"A few days ago." Alec rubbed his chin in thought.

"They knew the risks but they still choose that way to play it." Sarah folded her arms over chest as she tilted her head to the side and stared just passed his shoulder at the wall.

"Yes, but it was well played because it drew them out." Alec arched his eyebrow as Sarah frowned at him.

"I don't see how you came by that assessment." Sarah glanced at his half smile. A sensation of dread skirted her spine at the utter chilling look within his eyes.

"It made our work that much easier now." Alec nodded casually as Misha walked into the room.

"You are very devious, my love." Sarah easily grinned as she brought her hand up to cup his cheek, lifting herself up onto her toes as she gave Alec a quick kiss on the lips.

"That is why you agreed to marry me." Alec smirked as he moved her away from him. "Come, we have some planning to do before we catch ourselves a hawk."

* * *

Maria was pleasantly surprised at how relaxed she felt while she idly chatted to Tony and Steve. Well, considering Steve was looking very nervous. Which she did not think was possible but contemplating how awkward he could be around the fairer sex, she supposed that it was only natural when he had been so shy before the transformation.

"So Steve," Maria smiled as she lifted the glass to her lips. "How are you handling the integration of the modern world?"

"Are talking on a good day or a bad one?" Steve smirked as he continued to glance at the clock.

"You have to be somewhere, Cap?" Tony lifted his brow up as he tipped his head back.

"Why, yes, I do." Steve folded his arms over his chest.

"You going to give details or do I have to wait for the Record version?" Tony smirked at Steve, who just shook his head and stood up.

"It's just not that entertaining." Steve inclined his head. "Thanks for the drink, Tony. It's been nice Maria."

"Ungrateful he is." Tony rolled his shoulders before giving his head a brief shake. Maria stared at him wide eye as softer footfalls echoed into the room.

"Unbelievable, you're quoting Yoda now." Bruce grinned as he entered into the lounge room that sat in.

"I have to entertain myself somehow in this place." Tony tilted his head. "Not about to unleash the Other Guy are you?"

"Why was the Hulk going to be unleashed?" Maria was truly puzzled. They all seemed to co-inhabit finely together.

"We were having a discussion when Bruce decided that we were standing between the food and him." Tony's lips curled into a small smile at the indigent look that Bruce was giving him.

"It wasn't that bad." Bruce grumbled as he closed his eyes and counted to ten.

"I beg to differ, my green friend."

"You are always begging for something." Natasha stated as she watched with some amusement as Tony jumped.

"Sheesh, do I need to put a bell on you?" Tony placed a hand over his arc, his eyebrow shooting up at the tiny grin that graced everyone's face.

"You're welcome to try." Natasha's smirk was a little too feral for Tony's taste as he watch move her to stand next to Maria. A piece of paper held in her hand which she extended to Maria when she got there. "Thought Fury might get a kick out of it."

"I'm positive that he will. I have forgotten about these forms." Maria chuckled as she glanced over the finished form.

"I want to be a fly on the wall with this." Tony clapped his hands together as he figured out what the paperwork was about.

"Just proves how often they come across your desk." Natasha smirked before she went to sit down on the lounge.

"This should be a blast. I noticed you didn't put the father's name down here?" Maria glanced with interest at Natasha. "Wanting to fuel the rumours that are going to fly about this?"

"You could say that. The father is not to be known unless absolutely necessary."

"Ah, okay. I can understand I guess." Maria placed the paper into the folder that she was carrying with her. She tilted the glass up to swallow the rest of the liquid. "Thanks for the drink, Tony. I'll have to go."

"Take care, Maria." Natasha stated before everyone else softly followed with their own goodbyes.

* * *

"Agent Romanoff is WHAT?" Fury's shout echoed around the base as a tiny sadistic grin played along Maria's lips before she turned her head back to the computer screen. Glad that the paperwork had been processed in a timely manner for a change. "Agent Hill, my office now!"

"Yes, sir." Maria mumbled as she saved the work that she was currently completing, sleeping her computer before she got up and made her way to the Director's office. She tapped twice before she was barked at to enter. "You wanted to see me, Director?"

"You better believe it." His face was hard mask as he folded his hands behind his back, rocking onto the back of his heels. "Did you know?"

"Yes, I did." Maria pulled herself to her full height under his heavy glare. "I was sworn to secrecy. As Natasha's friend, I had to bide my time and allow her to come to you in her own time."

"How long have you known?" Fury's voice no longer held heat but he was still annoyed that his agents were hiding important secrets from him.

"A little over two weeks." Maria shrugged her shoulders as she allowed her body to relax as the threat of danger had passed.

"Do you know who the father is?" Nick had also noted that lack of parentage as well.

"No but I do have my suspicion as to whom he may be." Maria smiled as Nick really looked at her.

"You wish to share with the rest of us?" Nick arched his eyebrow as he unclasped his hands to let them rest loosely by his side.

"It's not that difficult to figure out but I would not be saying anything because where is the fun." She gave him a lopsided smile. Nick nodded his head in agreement.

"I thought as much. Oh well, it's not like we haven't had an agent on maternity leave before." Nick sighed before sitting heavily into his chair. "You're dismissed, Agent Hill."

"Look at it this way, Nick." Maria voiced softly as she made her way to the door. "It won't be the last time." She laughed as she slipped through the open door as Fury's head hit his desk, groaning at the mere thought of anymore Romanoff/Barton spawns.

* * *

Hehe, feel the pain Nick. So, that is another chapter down and I have started upon Chapter 9 but as I have assessments to complete. There maybe a delay between updates. I will say that I enjoyed writing this chapter even if I had cried because my daughter accidentally wiped a good quarter when I was on a roll. So until next time, have a good one! ;D


	9. Fishy

So hello again. I would like to apologise firstly for being late, I think. But considering I have three assessments, five teeth extracted and a chest infection. Life has been rather busy and I lost track of time. But it is here and I would like to say that I had some fun writing this chapter. So hopefully, it fulfills everyone expectation of the nuggets that are being dropped. So sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.

**patty cake rocks:** _ Poor Clint will have no idea what hits when this chapter is finished._

**bluerose921:** _Thank you._

**Disclaimer:** **_I own nothing and make no money from my burrowing of these characters. They are returned daily back to their original owner which is not me. Slightly used and abused but more happier with their adventures. I__ think._**

* * *

_**Chapter 9: Fishy  
**_

_**N**_ights had started to defrost a little but the air still held that frigid quality about it. Clint rubbed his hands together as he slowly made his way over to the wood box, loading his arms up before heading over to the open fire place. Kneeling down as he prepared the kindling before he slowly feed the wood into the blaze as it roared to life; happy with his work as he sat back on his haunches and pulled the screen across to stop the spitting fire from setting his cabin on fire.

He placed his hands upon his thighs before he pushed himself into a standing position. He could already feel the heat radiating from the fire. He needed to start the morning coffee. His guests were starting to out welcome their stay as he lit the stove and pushed the kettle to the back to be heated as he pulled the desired number of mugs from the cupboard. He wanted over to his pantry door and pulled it opened. Exhaling a deep breath as he did a quick inventory on what he needed.

"Sometimes I just wonder Nat." He whispered to himself as he added going to town on his things needed list. It was not shaping up to be a good day. He still had to check out the wood shed and estimate if he would need to get more wood to dry out for use. "Maybe I should just head back to the land of the living." He scratched at his beard as a soft smile touched his lips briefly. "I would have to get rid of this thing first. You never did like them."

His hand landed upon the oatmeal as he decided that would be a great meal to make. It had been a rather hard first winter but he did learn from it. Which was good because he would now be better prepared for the following one, he thought as he closed the door and stood in front of the stove. His mind momentarily forgetting as to what he was doing when he seen Sarah stand there twisting her hands together.

"I'm sorry." She whispered as her hair curtained her face. Clint could just make out her chewing her lips.

"Why?" His voice was gruff as he continued to stare at her and try to figure out the game that she was playing with him this time.

"I did not realise that you have a wife." Sarah glanced at him with bright wet eyes.

"Had, you don't mean?" Clint arched his brow as a clearly unimpressed look closed over his face.

"You never did say what happened to her?" Sarah took a tentative step forward as Clint blinked at her for a few moments before turning his attention back to making breakfast.

"Cancer!" He bluntly stated as he measured the oats and water before placing them over the flames.

"Such a harsh way to go." Clint bit his lips as he tried to hide the smirk as he pulled his face into a more suitable reaction to her words.

"Not exactly what I would have asked for." Clint's voice was slightly deeper as he pulled the whistling kettle off the stove and poured the boiling water into the mugs. "I would have preferred a few more years with her."

"How do you cope?" Sarah finally reached his side as she backed a hand on his bicep as she blinked beguile at him.

"Who said I did?" He retorted before shrugging her hand off.

"I can see that you do." Sarah flicked her hair over her shoulder before resting her hand upon his hip as she jutted it out to the side.

"Appearances can be very deceptive." Clint muttered cryptically before raising his mug to his lips.

"Are you speaking from experience?" Sarah rose her eyebrow as she watched them prepare their meals.

"Human nature." He shrugged his shoulders and dropped the topic of conversation. His face closing over as he added milk and sugar before picking up a spoon and started to eat. Sarah watched him before reaching for her own bowl.

"How can you eat this". She almost chocked it out as her face scrunched up in displeasure.

"There is not much to choose from." Clint had found it to be exactly what he needed. "I have to head into town to collect supplies."

"You are always saying that we a running out of supplies." Sarah huffed a breath as she glanced at him.

"Look, sweetheart." Clint almost chocked over the endearment. "I have four mouths to feed not just one. It has been a rather harsh winter. I could have easily left your little group out in the cold that day." He ran a hand through his hair, noticing just how long it had gotten.

"You are a good man, James." Misha came up to thump Clint on the back before grabbing his bowl and started to shovel the food in; making Clint wonder if that it was like to really know Thor. A warm feeling settled within his chest because Nat had always told him by her actions that he was that type of person. "Is there anything that I could do?"

"I have to check the wood pile but I have inkling that we may be running low." Clint finished his food and washed his bowl and spoon up.

"Wood, I could chop." Misha muttered a moment later as he finished inhaling his food. It would give him an excuse to get out of the toxic atmosphere of the two Russian comrades. He still did not know why he had tagged along but he wished that he had not.

"That would be great." Clint watched the big man wash his bowl and spoon before pouring himself a mug of coffee.

* * *

Maria laughed at the blank expressions that she was receiving from the new recruits as they sat loosely in a semi-circle around her, turning her head slightly as she spotted Natasha through the barely closed door. She seemed to be seeking someone before her head turned towards where Maria stood. You could definitely see that Agent Natasha Romanoff was with child as her gait was still accommodating for the shift in her centre of gravity and the extra weight that she carried.

"Agent Hill." Natasha greeted pleasantly as she stop on the outside of the markings on the floor.

"Agent Romanoff." Maria nodded her head as she spared a look at the dumbfounded faces that were in her class. "What do I owe this pleasure too?"

"Director Fury has sent me to collect you for a meeting about Huftun." Natasha gently laid a hand upon her expanding stomach.

"But I thought." Maria started before she snapped her mouth closed. "What, never mind."

"I wasn't." Natasha muttered dryly as Maria shot her a knowing look.

"Who's my replacement?" Maria smirked as Natasha shifted upon her feet.

"I am." She grimaced at the harsh bark of laughter that Maria allowed loose.

"You know what happens if Bruce finds out?" Maria gently warned as Natasha gained a mutinous expression on her face.

"He can find the biggest, deepest. . ."

"I wouldn't finish that if I was were you." Maria held up her hand as she pointed towards the open doorway to reveal the man.

"He's worst than Clint." Natasha muttered under her breath.

"Natasha, I thought I said bed rest." Bruce walked over and stood in front of her with his arms folded over his chest.

"I was bored." Natasha closed her eyes as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. She silently swore that he thought that she was a walking time bomb.

"So you decided that you would go to work?" Bruce knew the answer even before he finished formulating the question. Natasha was a very active person. "Just take it easy as I have had said before no training the troops." His eyebrow shifted at the look of disbelief she just shot at him.

"I still have a mouth." She growled low into the conversation. "And I pretty sure that I can have a chair here."

"See, that is how we negotiate without bloodshed." Maria all but clapped her hands.

"And no, you don't want to see the result of bloodshed." Bruce muttered under his breath. He knew when he been beaten as he shook his head before leaving the room to arrange a seat for Natasha.

* * *

Clint shifted his pack upon his shoulders as he searched the area. He had not been able to see what his visitors wanted but he was starting to get an uneasy feeling about this whole situation. It had never sat right with him the first time that he been approached for the mission. He would check in and await orders which he did not think would change in a hurry. He was thankful that summertime was here but he still had to be more careful and closely survey his surroundings. Hibernating animals were starting to venture out of their winter dens looking for food.

He trekked for another couple of minutes before putting the call in. He figured he had time upon his hands as he waited for the incoming message. Already knowing what it would read considering that it had not changed from any of the pervious times. He lifted his face to the sky as he felt the warmth radiating from the sun. It had been a cold winter and he was enjoying his time outside as tilting his head as he heard the crunching of snow before lifting his gun up and took careful aim. His pocket vibrated for a moment as he breathed a sigh of relief to only discover that it was Misha.

"James." Misha inclined his head as he slowly approached the armed man.

"What are you doing here?" Clint squinted as he slowly lowered the rifle down.

"I actually came to warn you." Misha looked off into the distance before settling his gaze back onto Clint.

"Okay, what about?" Clint had an intense feeling of dread slid down his spine to settle somewhere in the region of his stomach. That was never good in his experience.

"They know." Misha whispered as he turn back around.

"I don't know what you are talking about." Clint shrugged his shoulders as he held his hands out to the side.

"I think you do but three red band doesn't take their threats lightly." Misha snorted as he continued to glance at the man in front of him.

"Who are they when they are at home?" Clint folded his arms as his eyes continued to search the surrounding area.

"An organisation that should not be treated so callously! Think of the red room but only slightly more sadistic in nature."

"How do you know this?" Clint's brow furrowed for a brief moment as his brain computed what was being said. "You infiltrated their organisation." He clicked his fingers as he made the connection.

"Not as slow as I thought you were." Misha shook his head. He had to pass this information on as he knew that he only had a very small window of opportunity. He could already feel his stomach cramping from the coffee that Sarah had gave him.

"So that is their name." Clint pondered out loud to himself as he made a mental note to pass this information onto Fury.

"It is becoming quite obvious that world governments would like a platoon of super soldiers when you look at the success rate of America and Russia. This is what three red band is about." Misha coughed and spat the red tinted saliva out.

"I thought HYDRA was about the whole world domination back in the second war." Clint rubbed at his chin. He knew that he was unable to help the man in front of him. He had seen too many poisonings to know that the survival rate was rather low. And even if you did survive, the quality of life was no longer there.

"And they used weapons for that means." Misha coughed some more as a rather vicious stomach cramp doubled him over. "Look I really don't have much time left."

"I can see that."

"The man you are seeking is Gedeon Ruskov. He is the man behind trying to obtain the perfect Black Widow that he had heard about so much while serving in the red room."

"She is far from perfect." Clint's smirk was sardonic as he glanced once more around the area. Natasha would have been tickled pink to hear that one.

"There was a rumour that only one man ever survived her bed." Misha gazed in wonderment at Clint's strong profile. "The greatest marksman Hawkeye."

"Yeah, one thing about rumours though." Clint tilted his head for a moment before piercing Misha with a hard stare. "There are always hardly any truths to them."

"Sometimes, that grain is so well hidden that no one believes it." Misha quirk his eyebrow before his coughing fit forced him to his knees, wrapping his arms around his midsection as bile rose within his throat.

"I have two options for you." Clint searched the pale face in front of him as Misha slowly blinked his eyes as Clint's voice sounding like rushing water to his ears.

"And that would be?" Misha gritted his teeth as another spasm torn through his stomach and vomited onto the ground beside him. His limbs were starting to get heavy.

"Let you ride this out and see what the results will be if you survive. . ."

"Or?"

"I put a bullet into your brain and you no longer suffer the torment of your insides trying to crawl out."

"Both are such tempting offers." Misha deadpanned as his insides were gripped into another spasm. Misha searched Clint's eyes to see that he was telling the truth. "The more humane way."

"Right." Clint gave a short jerk of his head as he pulled his handgun out. There was already a bullet waiting in the chamber as he got up and took a few steps back, breathing in deep as he looked deeply into Misha's resigned eyes.

"My name is Paul Johnston." Clint blinked for a moment as his name registered for a brief millisecond as Clint nodded his head.

"Clint Barton." He squeezed the trigger to fire off a round. He watched as Paul slid to the side of the tree. Clint shook his head at the small smile that graced Paul's face. It was a professional courtesy and one, he hoped, that would be done to him when the time came. Clint put his handgun away before pulling the vibrating mobile out of his pocket. Opening the message, he quickly read it, groaning before deleting it from existence.

* * *

"Have you looked at the betting book lately, sir?" Maria asked the black clad figure as she came to stand behind him.

"And that should interest me, why?" Director Fury glanced down with his one good eye. He had a fair idea on what was being written within the book that should not be in existence on his ship.

"It's just your name appeared." Maria almost snickered as she seen it herself. Considering there were some pretty far fetching ideas in there to begin with.

"Do I even want to know?" Nick groaned before putting his head into his hands.

"That's rumours for you." Maria folded her arms over chest. "And this is what I'm thinking that Natasha wanted. Throws the scent off on who could really be the baby's father."

"All it takes is someone with a pair of eyes and some logical thought to come to the right conclusion." Nick muttered under his breath. That was not one way he wanted to be tied to the irrational spy.

"And that seems to be the one thing that this organisation is lacking." Maria smirked.

"Thank you for bring that to my attention, Agent Hill." Fury snarked as he folded his hands behind his back.

"Want to know the funny part?" Maria was almost giddy with anticipation.

"And what would that be, Agent Hill?" Fury's voice was sounding tired by the conversation.

"Even poor Coulson has been dragged in." Maria chuckled at the dumbfounded expression that graced the Director's face.

"You gotta be. . ." Nick spluttered to a stop as Natasha made her way through the crowded hallway. "It really makes you wonder if she knew about the looks that she is receiving."

"She knows." Maris snickered at this because of a particular recruit that was on the end of that death stare now. "She sometimes chooses to ignore them, unless we get a really stupid one." They watched in morbid fascination as Natasha flipped the poor man before slamming a hidden knife into his shoulder as her face contorted into a snarl. Her lips barely moving before she stood up and continued on her path, her hips swaying as she saunters away from her hapless victim, wiping the blood off the knife onto her thigh as she went.

"I never saw that." Fury muttered as he turned towards his second in command. "Send a memo around to tell others of the danger of confronting Agent Romanoff. I want to see that idiot in my office once he has been cleared from Medbay."

"Yes sir." Marie shook her head as she tapped her commlink within her ear. "Ramsey, I want that idiot checked out before he reports to Fury."

"Yes ma'am." Ramsey was surprised at the request. Not many recruits got to see the big boss. He glanced down at the wound in his shoulder. "You must have annoyed Romanoff." He smirked at the shocked look that he was receiving.

"I didn't say anything. She's crazy." The recruit grumbled as hatred seethed through his veins.

"Yeah, assassins are usually mentally unstable." Ramsey smiled as he tied up the bandage. "Just be thankful that it was her and not her partner." He pulled the recruit to his feet before directing them to the medical wing of the building.

"Why her?" His interest was piqued as they slowly made their way through the crowd. It seemed that nearly everyone had been called back from their missions unless you were deep cover.

"You're still breathing." Ramsey lifted his brow up as if to say that made logical sense and coming from the battle harden medic, it did. He had seen those two in more action than should be humanly possible. He knew that both were just as dangerous as each other but Agent Barton held a certain darkness within him when he was on mission.

"That is not very comforting." The recruit muttered under his breath, making Ramsey lift his eyebrow.

"It wasn't meant to be. It was a warning because not all of us believed that Agent Barton is dead." Ramsey shrugged his shoulder at the surprised expression. The kid really had a lot to learn if he was going to survive these halls.

* * *

Clint glanced up into the sky to determine on when the night sky would fall. The temperature had dropped a little in the last few minutes that he had been looking at Paul. He pulled his bag off his shoulder as he shifted through it until he came upon the small collapsible shovel that he kept as an emergency supply.

He searched the area until he found an easy spot to dig a shallow grave for Paul. Knowing that this was going beyond the call of duty but Clint just could not bring himself to leave the man out in the open to feed the wildlife. He usually had no compunction about that but it did not seem right. He must be growing soft in his old age. He snorted with disgust at himself as he rolled his eyes that he would even have those thoughts.

It had taken the better part of three quarters of a hour to get his mission completed. Throwing the last handful of snow on the tiny mound as the sky grew darker. He knew that Paul had been poisoned and he only had two guesses on who the culprit would be. Brushing the snow off his clothing as he walked a little distance away and cleaned the blood of his hands. There was nothing he could do for his clothing as he quickly wiped the blood splatter from his face. Making himself appear a bit more tidier as he collected the animal that he had shot earlier. Hopefully, that would excuse the blood on his clothing.

Clint walked up the steps slowly as a living nightmare was standing behind those close doors. He had some idea on what exactly was going down when he walked through the door, taking a deep breath as he slid into the personality of James. He would either live through the night or perish as he pushed opened the door and walked through it.

"I got food. . ." James muttered as his eyes rolled back up into his head. His slid gracelessly to the floor as Sarah stood over him with a devious smirk planted upon her face.

"Thank you, James." She whispered as she lowered her weapon down.

"Well done, my dear." Alec smiled at her as he caressed her cheek.

* * *

Oh boy, what's happening now? So until next time, have a good one! ;D


	10. Capture

Hello. I would like to apologise first and foremost for the sheer lateness of this chapter. I would like to say that I had no excuse and it was just my own laziness but than I would be lying. It seems that my personal life has been rather hectic with a lot of whole family drama, which means that it wasn't just my own little world. In the professional side of life, well, let's just say that some things are just best left alone to sort themselves out. So, hopefully, you will enjoy this chapter. So please, sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.

**Cookie-Stories:** _Thank you for the high compliment. Hope this doesn't disappoint._

**DonutRain00:** _ I hadn't realised that I had left it there until I read your review and than I snickered to myself. Gotta luv them cliffies._

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own this characters at all and will never have the intentions of owning them. I'm only borrowing them for my own selfish pleasure and they will be returned in a slightly more used state. Even after resting for this long.

* * *

_**Chapter 10: Capture**_

Clint withheld the groan that was trying to force its way out of his throat as he grimaced at the dull throb on the back of his head. Not quite feeling that he had been hit by a Mack truck but he came pretty darn close to it. That much he was sure as he ran a mental checklist on his different muscle groups before he tested his range of motion which was not great but he could work with it, when the time came. He flexed his hands to discover that they were tied to a chair with his feet as well. He drew a deep breath and almost smile when he did not feel the constriction of the rope around his chest. He was being held by amateurs.

"He's awake." Sarah's voice projected from behind his left shoulder. He slitted his eyes as the light were proving to be too bright for his concussed brain.

"Early than what I would have thought." Alec's tone was pure malice as he softly padded to stand in front of Clint.

"Surprise!" Clint smirked as he felt the cold tip of the knife at his throat in an instance. He would have rolled his eyes at the implied threat behind the action. He might work out one of these days, why everyone pulled sharp implements on him.

"Do not speak unless spoken to." Alec hot breath brushed passed Clint's ear as a rotting stench filled Clint's nostrils, which almost made Clint gag as he slowly nodded his head.

"No problem." Clint stated before the knife's edge dug into the tender skin, making him sharply suck in a calming breath as he felt the warm drip of his blood.

"You see." Sarah walked closer and ran her fingers over his shoulders before she leant over to whisper in his ear, her lips tickling the shell. "We want information and you. . ." Her lips curling into a malicious smile as her fingers made their way onto his crown before she squeezed and jerked his head backwards. "My dear Hawkeye, will provide the answers."

"You believe that, do you?" Clint smiled as her fingers tightened further before slamming his head forward with enough force to rattle his brain.

"We have ways that will make you talk." Alec snarled as he moved around the room. Latches were heard being opened. "Ah!"

"No." Clint shouted as his head was held to the side before he felt a sharp pain in the neck when a coolness of the contents being injected into his system.

"Give it a couple of moments." Alec muttered as he patted Clint on the top of his head. "You tell us what we want to know and you can go free." Clint shot Alec a condescending expression.

"Don't worry, sweetheart." Sarah lightly tapped his cheek before she clenched her fist and aimed it for his nose. "We'll look after you real well." She whispered as she leant forward to brush her lips against his cheek.

* * *

"Graham Hindermarsh." Agent Hill spat as his employment record was recalled from the data banks. She quickly glance over it before she slammed out of her office and briskly made her way to Director Fury's office. She tapped at the door twice before she barged in and threw her table upon his desk.

"What's the meaning of this?" Fury growled at her pointed look before reaching forward and retrieving the tablet. His eye scanning the information as his lips compressed themselves into a thin line. "You've gotta be. . ."

"That was my initial reaction as well." Maria folded her arms over her chest as her brows drew together into a frown. "I don't even know how this type of security breach even happened." She shook her head.

"Well. We know that his induction officer was ex-Agent Clive Syms." Fury muttered as he continued to scan.

"Wasn't he expelled from this agency for. . ." Maria blinked in surprised as Fury grunted.

"Conduct unbecoming a representative of S.H.I.E.L.D." Fury rubbed his forehead.

"Ouch." Maria's eyebrow lifted as she tapped a fingernail. "Have we been tracking him?"

"Apparently not as actively as we should have been." Fury shook his head as he leaned back in his chair. "But I think we might just amend that."

"How sir?" Maria glanced once more at the file.

"His training was completed by Agent Romanoff."

"I don't see how that will help us. We have always rotated our operatives to train the recruits." A confusion look flashed through her eyes as she struggled to comprehend on what exactly was being said.

"And we haven't exactly hidden the fact that the Black Widow has defected from Russia."

"I suppose not, Director." Confusion still flowed through her veins as she tilted her head.

"It really makes you wonder what they were after?" Fury closed his eye briefly before he pierced her with a look. "I think it's time to recall a certain agent."

"Who?" Maria barked in surprise.

"This one." Fury leant over his desk with a folder. He watched Maria flick it opened and scanned the contents.

"Really," Maria's eyebrows shot up into her hairline. "This should prove to be interesting. What are we going to do about Hindermarsh?"

"Place him on the active watch list. Monitor his station and make sure that he receives only non essential. Ask Sitwell to complete this task."

"Yes sir. I'll get right onto that." Maria straighten up and walked over to the door.

"And Hill?" Fury called out, making Maria turn around and stare at him. "Assume nothing." She gave a small nod to indicate that she had understood the command.

* * *

"You will tell us where the Black Widow is?" Alec glanced at the bent head. Clint was bleeding sluggishly from the swallow nicks in his skin.

"I don't know who you are talking about." Clint spatted some of his pooling blood onto the floor. He was going to burn the cabin down when he got free.

"You see, Hawkeye, we know you are lying." Sarah cooed before she held up some grainy images of them fighting side by side. "You are her partner?" She lifted an eyebrow as if she expected his response.

"I don't know where you get. . ." Clint smirked as he felt his head getting jerked backwards once again.

"My information is a very reliable source." Sarah goaded as her eyes turned malicious with her next thought. "I think it's time."

"It's been a pleasure." Clint snark before his eyes rolled up into the back of his head.

"How long do you think it'll take to break him?" Sarah tilted her head as she watched Alec stroke his chin in deep thought.

"I don't know but it will be fun to see." A malevolent smile graced his thin features as they started to rearrange their surroundings for the next phase

* * *

Natasha stretched her aching back as she finished tapping at the keyboard. Her gaze turning towards the twelve folders that sat upon her desk as she rubbed a hand over her ever expanding stomach. She silently snapped the file shut before placing it on the finished pile, pulling another one in front of her. She flicked it opened and carefully scanned the contents before opening the right document for the requested equipment. She was really starting to appreciate what Phil had done for them in the background.

"Let's go and grab something edible within the mess hall." Natasha whispered to the growing child as she quickly slept her computer and stood up, stretching her tired muscles, groaning at the slight pulling sensation of lifting her hands above her head. Brushing her hair off her face as she quickly tied it back before she quickly made her way down to the mess hall.

She glanced over the pitiful selection of food as she waited in line with her tray. Grasping as she suddenly felt rapid movement within her abdomen area. A slight smile pulled briefly at her lips when she recalled the advice from Bruce about feeling movements from the baby. It would seem that the reality of it all had been kicked up a notch from the movement alone.

"What can I get for you, Romanoff?" Shivers barked at her, which in turn made Natasha, raise her eyebrow up at his tone.

"Choc mint ice cream." A sly smirk touched her pouty lips as she watched with deep satisfaction of the floundering agent. She reached forward and grabbed a somewhat passable salad, diced fruit and a bottle of water. "Thank you." She muttered before she sat down at her usual spot. Her eyes flicked up at the shadow that fell over her tray.

"Good to see that you are eating well." Hill teased lightly before placing her lunch tray besides her and slipped in.

"Atleast I know what I'm eating . . . Mostly." Natasha poked at her salad as she pointed a finger at Maria's choice. "I don't even want to know what that is meant to be."

"Apparently lasagne." Maria tilted her head in disbelief as she continued to stare at the mess in front of her before she took a tentative bite.

"I'll take your word for it." Natasha muttered before spearing a piece of onion with lettuce onto her fork before shovelling it into her mouth.

"It is not that bad actually." Maria smirked as she took another bite from her plate. Natasha chuckled when she rolled her eyes.

"So what brings you down to us mere mortals?" Natasha leant back against the wall behind her. Some habits died hard, she thought as she folded her arms across her chest.

"Food?" Maria hesitantly questioned as she shot her friend a look. Which in turn Natasha shot a knowing look at Maria before she took a sip of her water.

"No, chocolate milk." Natasha muttered.

"That's rather random?" Maria smirked as she clucked her tongue.

"No, it ain't." Natasha shook her head in denial. "I have a sudden desire for chocolate milk." Her brow was drawn together in a frown. She was never one for diary products as she turned this over in her mind.

"It seems that you got your first craving." Maria tilted her head before she got up and walked to the kitchens. She had been gone for a couple of minutes before she reseated herself back at the table, a pleased smile upon her face.

"What did you do?" Natasha asked with a slight hint of suspicion lacing her voice.

"Let's just say that I sent someone on an errand." Maria lifted her eyebrow as Natasha shot her a look of disbelief at her.

"You didn't." Natasha closed her eyes and counted backwards in Russian before opening them again. "Why?"

"Because Clint would have done exactly the same thing." Maria folded her arms before she tilted her head in thought. "No, not really. He would have gone himself." Natasha groaned as she face palmed.

* * *

Clint groaned as he slowly came too. He could feel the cold wood under his naked shoulders. His brain stopped the thought process when he realised that tiny fact. He was still tied down but it would have seemed like his location changed as he tried to force his eyes open but found that he was unable too. That he was now surrounded in absolute darkness brought a small smirk to his lips. He was really to begin to wonder where they had gotten their training from. He was completely at home within the darkness. He embraced the loneliness like a long lost lover.

"He's awake." Sarah's voice echoed around the room, which meant that either it was really small or there was nothing in it.

"Welcome back, Hawkeye." Alec sneered as he placed down the tool that he was currently inspecting. "You have been out for a little while. Shame that I missed my chance on waking you up." He curled his hand into a fist before striking Clint on the jaw.

"I'm sure there will be other opportunities." Clint heckled Alec as he rotated his jaw to feel for any loose movements.

"Always the funny one." Alec curled his upper lip as he spat on Clint.

"Oh, I try to be." Clint gritted his teeth as he felt the spittle slid down his shoulder. He was thankful that it had not been aimed for the face, but still, an insult was an insult and Alec would pay for it.

"Have I annoyed you?" Alec asked into the thin air as he waved Sarah over. His cold eyes watching every little facial expression that passed over Clint's face. "No. Such a shame." He tsked before moving over to the table.

"Tell us about the Black Widow." Sarah's voice was harsh as she gripped Clint's chin by her fingernails.

"Sure." Clint chuckled internally as he slowly drew a breath in and exhaled just as slowly. "It's a small spider with a red hour glass. . ."

"Not about the spider." Alec growled low as he punched Clint.

"Well, that is the only Black Widow that I know about." Clint quipped as he spat blood out of his mouth. His tongue quickly running along his teeth to see if any were loose.

"I think you are lying." Sarah tilted her head as she squeezed harder, her nails drawing blood as they started to pierce the crescent shapes that they were making. "I know you are lying." She chuckled as she closed her fingers more. They were slowly sinking into his skin. A pleased sadistic expression settled over her face. "I should just crave up your pretty face so. . ." She looked perplex to her partner as Clint started to laugh heartily.

"You're welcome to try, sweetheart." Clint snorted in disbelief at her statement. He knew that Nat would have thrown a fit at that one.

"You are little. . ." Sarah was rather confused by his actions.

"Matters not to me. It might actually make me more desirable to the fairer sex." Clint felt a half smirk pull at his lips. "I heard that chicks dig scars and the stories." He tilted his head.

"You are strange." Sarah muttered to herself before she was grabbed and dragged from the room. The door firmly clicking shut behind them. Clint allowed an amused smile to briefly touch his lips before he went back to studying the situation.

* * *

Natasha stretched her tired muscles as she shut down her computer for the night. She would be an extremely happy woman if she never saw another equipment request form. She rubbed tiredly at her eyes before picking up her bag and left the office for the day. The travel time to the tower was rather short and she suspected that she may have snoozed most of the way. She gave a small wave as goodbye as she unstrapped herself from the helicopter harness and ducked her head down from the thundering blades as she exited the aircraft. it leaving her standing there as she watched the aircraft lift into the sky before becoming a small speck on the horizon before disappearing all together. The look in her eyes was afar as she watched the lightening in the distance.

She gave her head a quick shake before she headed towards her floor and to the bath tub that had her name written all over it. She figured that peppermint scent would be soothing and relaxing after her long battle with her computer and keyboard. She would have preferred to be out in the field but a compromise had to be made. And as difficult as it was, she had finally forwarded her semi retiring papers. It was going to be interesting to see how the Director would handle the situation but she figured that a policy in place when an agent was on family leave. If there was not one, she would make sure there is now.

Quickly keying in her personal code, she stepped through the doorway and hung her cloak on the peg of the wall. Leaning back against the wall as she toed off her shoes and started to unzip her skirt as she gently padded up the hallway while unbuttoning her shirt. Upon reaching the bathroom, she flicked the lights on to bathe the room with a gentle yellow glow. She groaned when she leant over the bath and placed the plug in before turning the facets on.

Even after all this time, the bathroom still amazed her with its luxurious simplicity. As she opened the cabinet beneath the hand basin for the bath salts that she had kept for the sole purpose of what was happening now. She measured the required amount before placing that amount into the running water. She would normally have a bottle of vodka while she soaked within her bath but she had read that she could place herself either into early labour or have a miscarriage. Either way, she was not willingly to test that theory at this point. It would be some thing that she may consider when the time came.

Quickly shutting off the running water, she gave the water a stir to see if all the crystals had been dissolved in the process of the bath being filled. Standing to her full height as she searched for the lighter to lit the aromatic candles that sat upon the upper ledge. After the candles had been lit, she used the remote to turn on the ambient relaxation music that she had come to like when she needed to be unstressed from a situation; shedding the rest of her clothing before tying up her hair, realising for the first time that it had grown in length.

She watched the steam rising for a moment as she slowly drew it into her lungs. Her shoulders hunching as she slowly stepped into the bath allowing her skin temperature to adjust to the heat. Natasha reclined against the bathtub as her eyes slid closed. Sadness furling around her heart to settled into her stomach as she bit her lower lip to hold the sobbing back. Her hands gently cupping her stomach as she slightly curled upon her side; the tears pooling at the corner of her eyes before sliding down her cheek. She gently cried once more for the man that had brighten her world for a short period of time, only to have been cruelly torn from that world. But she could be grateful about the gift of himself that he had unknowingly left behind.

* * *

"I'm worried about her, Tony." Pepper sighed as she slowly traced a finger upon his chest. They were laying down as Tony shifted ever so slightly into Pepper's direction, a subtle indicator that she had his whole attention, no matter the span of it.

"Natasha is a strong woman." His own fingers brushing along her exposed upper arm before smoothing her hair down as his voice rumbled into her ear. "She keeps me in line mostly."

"Only when she isn't hell bent on hurting you from your own mouth." Pepper smiled slightly as she felt his chest shake with his amusement.

"You wound me." He scoffed as he placed his hand over his arc rector.

"Only your pride, Tony." She smiled in returned as she nuzzled his skin. "But still I have to worry."

"I know, my dear heart." Tony murmured as he exhaled a breath.

"What did you just call me?" She pushed herself up as she leant over his chest, her fingers reaching forward to place themselves upon his cheek, pulling his face around to see her.

"You know exactly what I said." Tony swallowed as a pleased expression filtered across Pepper's face. "You're beautiful." He whispered as he brought his head up and lightly touched his lips to hers. His hands finding their way into her soft hair as he deepen the kiss. Not exactly how he planned to distract her from the worry that seemed to be crackling among the residents of the tower but he take whatever was given to him.

* * *

_In case anyone is trying to keep track of Nat's pregnancy, she is roughly 3 and half months here. Which means that she has cleared her first trimester. So until next time, have a good one! ;D_


	11. Missing In Action

Hello everyone. Here is a new installment for everyone that has been patiently waiting for. I hope this keeps everyone tied over the moment because I have a few assessments that I have to complete. I have started to plot the next chapter and I was aiming for atleast 15 chapters but I think we are going to by-pass that figure. I would like to thank all the new favourites and followers.

**Sandy-wmd: **_This story does seem to fall through the cracks fairly often. I think this is due to my updating schedule that I have. I aim for every two weeks when possible. I loved Misha and I cried when I had to write him out. But his part was not in vain._

**discordchick:**_I love it when a story is busy with different sub-plots but doesn't detract from the story that is being told. It makes it worth reading because you know that some thought has been put into it._

**captainbeckerandjess:** _All I can say is wait and see what happens. We will get Clint home, eventually._

**_Disclaimer:_** I do not own this characters and are only playing with them my own amusement while making absolutely no money. Please be warned that when returned they will have extra baggage. Still undecided if that is a good thing or not.

* * *

_**Chapter 11: Missing In Action  
**_

_**I**_t was official when she stood there in track pants with her sports bars, gazing at the definite baby bump. There was really no way that she could not have hidden it nor did she want to either. The fluttering movements had slowly given way to gently brushes of the feet or hands and she was glad that she was no longer the toilet inspector. Bruce had continued to monitor her closely as she started to gain the correct weight and Natasha had started to round out in the face. People where starting to notice the glow of life that she was permanently radiating. It was wearing on her already frayed nerves. It would have appeared that people, mainly her fellow agents, forgot that she was an assassin and spy. She was contemplating taking drastic measures to remind everyone on just how dangerous she really was. But for now, she would just settle for a shower.

She was towelling her hair dry when the intercom beeped. Letting a sigh out as she padded over to it and flicked it off. Natasha was not really in the mood to deal with the morning antics of a Tony Stark that had not been sleeping for the last couple of days. She slipped her work out clothing on before pulling her hair into a messy ponytail before exiting her bedroom. Glancing both ways before slinking against the wall as she quietly made her way to the gym four floors down.

Natasha stopped in the doorway as she glanced around the varied machines that littered the room, deciding that the punching bag was the easiest and lightest exercise that she could do without Bruce breathing down her neck about straining herself and endangering her child. She warmed up her muscles before tapping her hands up and approached the bag. Gently tapping it until she slowly built into a comfortable rhythm as her worries slid away and she could feel her muscles burning from more than just pushing keys. A tiny smile played upon her lips as a film of moisture started to layer on her forehead. Her breathing though was still slightly normal but it was starting to hold a heavy tone to it as she pounded away at the bag.

"You know Red. . ." Tony spoke as she faltered from hearing his voice.

"And what would that be, Stark?" Natasha held onto the swinging bag as she used her breathing technique to slow it back down to normal.

"How much trouble you would be in with Bruce ever seen you?" His eyebrow quirking as he stepped into the room.

"Hence why, I snuck down here." Natasha sighed as she turned around and walked to her towel and bottled water. She swiped the cloth over face before she unscrewed the water and drank deeply from it.

"Tsk, tsk." Tony's eyes danced as another person coughed from the open door way. "It's Bruce. Didn't see you there, Brucie?" Bruce frowned at the nickname that Tony used on him as he folded his arms over his chest and leaned against the door jamb.

"That's alright, Tony." Bruce acknowledged as his continued to keep his eyes trained upon Natasha. He briefly consulted his watch before entering the room. He could not see that Natasha had pushed herself to hard as she only had a slight flush and her breathing was somewhat normal and returning from her workout. "Think you could squeeze in another exercise?"

"I had the bike in mind." Natasha tilted her head as she studied Bruce in turn.

"I have made an adjustment with my thinking." Bruce shook his head as Tony rolled his eyes. Which he was pretty sure that he seen Tony muttering a word too low for his hearing to pick.

"In what way?" Natasha narrowed her eyes before she took an draw from her bottle.

"That a bit of exercise is better than none at all." Bruce exhaled forcibly as he quickly glanced away from her knowing smirk.

"Look Bruce, I could understand it when the kick to the stomach happened but that was weeks ago and the baby has held in there, maybe with a bit too much stubbornness that it could only get from Clint and me. Which means that could only be a good thing." She ran her hands over her protruding stomach. Her whole face brightening when she felt a kick against her resting hand.

"The baby is moving?" Bruce asked as he came forward with his hand out. At Natasha's nodded it made contact and he sucked a breath in when he felt the baby slid beneath it. "That is just so. . ."

"Creepy." Natasha supplied with a teasing glint in her eyes.

"Beautiful." Bruce smiled unabashedly as the baby continued to move. Natasha chuckled at the look of joy upon his face. It was almost like he was purring from deep within. She continued to study him when she realised that Hulk was just as happy and that was what the purring was all about. Natasha tilted her head back and laughter tumbled out as the cloak of security settled deeply within her heart. Her child would be loved and well protected from the green rage giant that everyone feared including herself. Who would have thought that?

* * *

Clint was disorientated as he slowly shook his head. He had no idea what the day was, let alone, the time. He could hazard a guess and say that it was early morning. His body was aching from the constant contracting of his muscles with each electric shock through the night. It was only a matter of time before they would start the water boarding. He was certain that he needed to check in shortly if he had not already missed his call point. He breathed in deeply as his chest protested the action. Felt like a couple of ribs were fractured or broken at least. Turning his head when the sound of the door opened and a set of footsteps entered the room.

"Good. You are awake." Alec voiced echoed in the empty room. "Are you going to tell me about the Widow today?"

"I don't have any idea with what you are talking about." He gritted his teeth as a bolt of lightening torn through his system. His neck muscles strained to contain the agonising scream within its depths.

"You know in my home country, I was a renowned chemical engineer." Alec's tone was conversational as he padded around the room. Clint almost snorted. It was like he loved hearing the sound of his own voice. "I was given the freedom of developing some very interesting weapons. Of course, they never were truly appreciated." He sighed as if he was disappointed with his employers ridicule. "Such a shame that they never found out about my newest invention."

"And why is that?" Clint felt like he was reading from a script and had the words rehearsed to memory. He was in a way considering how many times that he had been in this same situation and they would always be just as talkative.

"It's really simple." Alec smiled sardonically as he walked over towards the box on the bench. "Everyone was working on and developing a truth serum while all knows that only works to a certain degree. I had the pleasure of being left alone to my own devices. A lot can be found when you are using someone else's money."

"So I am told." Clint's brow furrowed a little as he heard latches being undone.

"I have only had one person to experiment with." Alec stated as he started to pull equipment from the opened box. He gently picked up a glass vital before glancing over his shoulder. "I think you all be my second one. Quaking in fear yet, Hawkeye?"

"Should I be?" Clint retorted as he continued to eye the clear liquid.

"Yes, you should be." Alec murmured as he gazed at the man with not a flicker of fear within his eyes. He would make a fine addition to the ranks as he pulled a needle out and inserted it into the vital. The plunger moved until he had the desired amount. "Do you know what I hold in my hand?"

"No." Clint shook his head.

"Good." Alec whispered before inserting the needle into Clint's jugular before setting constant tiny electrical contractions running through Clint's body. "The conditioning has begun." Alec patted Clint's bare shoulder before exiting the room.

* * *

The non-descript black SUV with dark tinted windows pulled up into the parking lot of the airstrip that a waiting helicopter was on stand-by to bring the lone figure to S.H.I.E.L.D that had just exited from the vehicle. His eyes swept over the area before pulling on his sunglasses and soothed his suit down. He made sure to duck his head enough when he got closer as he quickly pulled himself quickly into the air vehicle. Snapping on the headset as a grim look settled upon his face when the door was closed behind him. He could not wait for the story behind this.

* * *

A billion dollar secret organisation could only do so much when they were not handed much information to begin with. Maria's head landed in her hands as she watched the faces flicker rapidly through all the known terrorists and criminals of the world. It would appear that the database was always growing. Frustration was swirling just below the surface as her fingers tapped beside the keyboard.

"Agent Hill, Delta Bravo failed to check-in." Agent Sitwell stated as he placed a folder onto her desk.

"When was he meant to check-in?" Maria glanced up at him at the same time that she dragged the file closer.

"Yesterday." He sat down upon the chair. Maria lifted her brow up at this piece of information.

"And is it only being reported now?" Maria could feel a headache coming on. She bent over to her bottom draw and grabbed the headache pills that sat there, swallowing down two with her cold cup of coffee as she rubbed a hand across her eyes when she placed the cup back down upon her desk.

"It appears that it was placed as a low priority." Sitwell's tone held an afflicting note to it.

"I wonder who would do something like that?" Maria's voice dripped sarcasm as Jasper nodded his head. "Keep monitoring and thanks for the heads up."

"No problem, Agent Hill." He stated as he got p and went back to his desk. It was almost like the organisation was starting to tear at the seams.

Maria glanced at the alarm off her computer. It seemed to have made a match to the information that the prisoner have given. "Alec Chegiov. Wonder what his field of expertise was?" She wondered out loud as she placed in the new information and waited for the computer to source its information.

* * *

Fury sat behind his desk as he continued to argue with a council member over the phone. His frustration mounting with each refusal until he finally had enough and ended the call. His back teeth grounded together as he struggled to contain the anger that was boiling just below he surface when he swung his chair around to stare out to the clouds.

"What the hell have you done to my agents?" The voice held a quiet authority to it as the door was firmly shut closed.

"It was a straight in and out mission." Fury growled at the intruder.

"That is not what I see." He took a step closer to the desk.

"I know." Fury rubbed at his forehead. "We are so far behind the eight ball, it'll be a miracle if we can stop this situation from snowballing any further."

"Atleast you got your assessment right." A tiny grin broke across the tired face. "So what is the situation?" He took a seat in front of him as he crossed his legs by placing on ankle upon his knee. His hands placed loosely with his lap as his sunglasses where held lightly within one curled fist.

"Which one do you mean the foreground or the background?" Fury expelled a breath forcibly.

"They did like their dramas." His voice sounded more amused the anything.

"Don't we all know it," Fury smiled briefly. "Agent Barton was not killed in action as everyone was told." He paused and waited for the other man to nod his head. "We had information given to us that an organisation was banding together to recreate the perfect solider via the Black Widow."

"Sounds heavy."

"We sent Barton in to eliminate what we thought was a key player to this organisation that was calling itself Three Red Band." Fury appraised of the situation.

"And something didn't go to plan?"

"A bomb went off when he was about to take the shot. Instead of bringing him back here, we sent him to recoup from the injuries that he obtained when he scrambled from the bomb blast."

"Somewhere very remote. Distance from human contact, I hope."

"We have never forgotten his antisocial tendencies that he has." Fury retorted. "He is still on US soil but is not." Nick held up his hand to still any protests.

"Okay, no-one is to know his whereabouts." The man nodded his head.

"Especially, Agent Romanoff!" Fury smirked at the interested look. "While we dealt with the current threat, it was shortly discovered that our resident Black Widow was with child. Father is unknown at present."

"Oh, right." The man smirked as well. "Sounds like I missed a party."

"That is only half of it." Fury stood up and started to pace the floor. "While the key player had also escaped and went into hiding until the heat cooled down enough for him to attend a charity benefit held in New York. The Avengers were tasked with apprehending this key player, which they did with as little as possible casualties. Agent Romanoff had taken a hit to the stomach and ending herself on bed rest."

"She would not have liked that."

"No, she did not." Fury smiled at the arguments between Bruce and Natasha on the Helicarrier. "It was just before the charity ball, it was discovered that maybe we had a double agent within our ranks."

"Who found the security breach?"

"Tony Stark of all people. He gave us some information to start investigating the intelligence department. We currently have one person under watch. After questioning our key player which it turns out that he was only a decoy."

"Smart move." The voice whistled in appreciation.

"Yes, it was but we got the information we needed." Fury stopped for a moment as a knock sounded on his office door. "Enter." He barked as Maria's head came through, an expression of surprise upon her face.

"Hey, Coulson." She blinked. "You're Agent Charlie?"

"Yes Hill." His voice sounded closed off.

"Sure, you'll have to tell me over a couple of beers later." Maria shrugged her shoulders. After what she had to deal with lately, seeing a supposedly dead agent sitting in Fury office was normal. "I have information about Delta Bravo."

"What is it?" Fury folded his arms as his eye took on a slightly harder look.

"He did not report in yesterday. Which would have been nothing considering the weather. But it was fine." Maria fidgeted before puffing a breath out. "One person of interest is Alec Chegiov. He was a chemical engineer back in his country of Russia."

"Why do I get the feeling that is not a good thing?" Fury rubbed his forehead.

"The computer is still gathering his information as we speak but I thought to tell you that Agent Barton is off grid."

"Which has never been a good thing. Is that why you dragged my sorry behind out of retirement?" Coulson smirked as he changed position in his chair.

"Partial. It was getting so boring around here without you." Coulson lifted his brow up before shaking his head.

"I have one question." Coulson enjoyed the startled look in Fury's eyes. "Who gets to tell Natasha that I am alive?"

* * *

She was heartily sick of filling out forms that needed to be pursued because the agents had written them out incorrectly or were just incomplete to begin with. She already had a list of names that she would be visiting if they did not start reading them correctly. Sighing again as she tapped her pen against the paperwork. She quickly switched to her computer to search for the information that she needed. She picked up her phone as she dialled the desired number.

"Hello, this is Agent Romanoff. Please contact me on extension 93514 about your request form that you filed three weeks ago. Thank you for your co-operation."

She hung up as she sat back and marked that name of the list. That would have been the twelfth time that she left the message. She made a notation on when she called them for the information on their individual files. She glanced at the time and cursed softly in her native tongue as she quickly shut down her computer and grabbed her things. She quickly glanced up at the knock on her door.

"Maria." Natasha mumbled as she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Where you are going?" Maria was surprised that Natasha was leaving work so early.

"I promised Bruce a check-up." Natasha smiled as she quickly ran a hand over her stomach.

"He watches you very closely." Maria was stalling and knowing it when Natasha shot a glance at her.

"High risk pregnancy and all that. According to him, I should not even be in this condition." Natasha answered as she flung a bag over her shoulder, an expectant look upon her face as she studied Maria.

"Coulson is alive." Maria expelled a breath out. She figured it was just easier to come clean than to hold off. She silently cursed when Natasha stiffened at this.

"But that is impossible." Natasha whispered as emotions started to tumbled around each other until they became one big jumbled mess.

"No, it isn't." Maria spoke as she glanced around the room. "Considering with what we deal with, demi gods, aliens from another dimension and a green rage monster. Nothing is impossible."

"But how?" Natasha glanced at her friend.

"I wish that I knew. He is known as Agent Charlie." Maria awkwardly patted Natasha on the shoulder.

"Fountain of youth," Natasha cracked a tiny smile when Maria looked at her oddly. "On Stranger Tides."

"Yeah, have to love that movie." Maria smirked as she gently bumped shoulders with her.

"It's still a lot to take in. One moment, he is dead and now, he isn't." Natasha breathed as she sorted through the information. Understanding that she may never fully comprehend what exactly is going on but she was use to being on a need to know basis. "Why am I being told?"

"Simple answer is that you don't kill him." Maria chuckled as Natasha just shook her head and waved good bye.

* * *

"We never really talked about marriage, have we?" Tony shoved his hands deep within his suit pants. His tie was loose with two of his buttons undone to show an expanse of his tanned chest. The cuffs rolled up to his elbow as he leant against the glass window pane.

"No Tony." Pepper glanced up at him before turning her eyes back to the report upon her desk, her heart fluttering at the hopeful light within his eyes.

"Would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?" Tony asked as he gulped what little moisture was left within his mouth. His mind frozen as he realised the questioned that he asked.

"Very funny, Tony." Pepper smiled gently as she shook her head. Trust Tony to ask the question jokingly. She squeaked when her chair was pulled from her desk and she was spun around, her eyes widening when the Tony Stark dropped to his knees in front of her.

"Please, dearest heart. I beg you." Tony implored her as he reached for her hands. His own trembling unsteadily as he waited for her answer.

"Tony, you don't have too." Pepper soothed as she pulled her right hand out and stroked his cheek. Her eyes searching the seriousness of his face as his left hand dived into his pocket and pulled out a small felt box.

"I know that I don't have to." Tony whispered as he opened the box up to reveal a beautiful cut simple diamond ring. "I want too because I love you, Pepper." He finished before his lips claimed hers with gentleness.

"Yes, Tony, I will." Pepper smiled breathlessly before Tony claimed her lips once more in joy. He picked her up and swung her around.

"You have made me happy, dearest heart." Tony panted as he held his world within his arms. Glad that he had finally asked Pepper to be a permanent part of his life.

* * *

"How be my friends, Hemidall?" Thor asked as he stood looking out the expanse to Asgard.

"They are happy. I do see pain with the Lady Natasha." His golden eyes stared into the Midgard realm.

"When will I be able to return to Midgard?" Thor was interested to see how his follow warriors fared from the battle. Even if it was a few months ago.

"The Allfather states that the Bifrost will be some time away." Hemidall knew that would disheartened the warrior in front of him.

"And then wait we must." Thor smiled as he thumped the gatekeeper on his shoulder. Hemidall looking slightly displeased at the treatment but he could understand, considering it was a request almost daily.

* * *

"Do we get to know what the baby is?" Natasha asked as she was laid back on the bed. No adjustment was needed for the vitamins, for which she was grateful about.

"Still a little early for conventional means but I can't see why not." Bruce pushed some buttons and waited for the image to appear. "Looking very healthy. Good tone and the skeletal structure appear to be strong. The blood supply is excellent with no obstructions. Let's have a look at the walls before we take a peek at the gender." Bruce was happy with the examination so far.

"The tear is holding, I think." Natasha muttered to herself as she looked at Bruce. He flicked a switch to listen to the strong heartbeat, nodding his head as he watched the baby starting to move around.

"Yes it does but I still want you to take it easy. I want him in there for a little longer still. If you haven't delivered by week 24, I will be really happy. We want him to stay as long as possible."

"A boy?" Natasha tentatively asked. She would love a boy but she preferred a girl with Clint's eye.

"Yep." Bruce popped the 'p'. "Congratulations."

"Wow, a son." Natasha sat back in shock.

"I'll leave you." Bruce smiled as he closed down the image.

"A son." Natasha whispered as she glanced down at her stomach. Her mind starting to shift to accept that she would have a son to rise by herself. She was thankful that she had strong male influence to help her shape him into a good man. The only thing better she could ask for was having his father at her side. "Sasha."

* * *

So. . .Um. . .I'll run for cover now. So until next time, have a good one! ;D


	12. Death Warmed Over

Hello everyone. So I have finally worked out my updating schedule. As we all know that it is roughly every 14 days that I like to post a chapter. It seems that pattern is every 15th and 30th day. Please give it a few days extra if the chapter has not appeared by these dates. It usually means that I am rather busy as I have assessments that I need to get in. Which I don't really think it will be much of a problem but you just never know. So please sit back, relax and read on. Thanks to everyone new that has either favourited or followed the story or myself.

**_WARNING:_ ****This chapter could possible contain triggers for victims of abuse.**

**QuillMist9674:** _Yes, he is. It was a __nod to the new series of S.H.I.E.L.D that I heard about. I don't think he will be too forth coming on details at present. They live in a crazy world where anything and everything can and does happen. So, it was only a logical assumption. How can we be sure that it is actually Coulson?_

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing and certainly not these fine characters that continue to provide so much entertainment for our benefit.

* * *

_**Chapter 12: Death Warmed Over  
**_

_**N**_atasha stretched her arms over head as she turned to glance at the alarm clock on the bedside table. She was feeling wonderful as she did another full body stretch before she shifted on her side and settled the sheet around her chest. She knew that her hair was beyond messy but she could bring herself to care.

"Jarvis?" Natasha called out as she pulled the second pillow under her head.

"Yes, Ms Romanoff." Jarvis' smooth voice filtered through the inbuilt speakers.

"Could you please open the curtains?" She wanted to watch the new sun rise over the city.

"Certainly, Ms Romanoff. Is there anything else?"

"Not at present. Thank you Jarvis." Natasha whispered as her eyes gazed outside to the yellow ball that was slowly rising up.

"You are welcome, Ms Romanoff." Natasha rolled her eyes because she just had a visual of Jarvis bowing. She chuckled as she shifted to become more comfortable. Sasha had seemed too settled down after a night of activity. A smile touched her lips when she thought about Clint having the exact problem of not being able to sleep at night. She had always thought it was due to bad memories, horrible childhood and choice of career but her son was proving that it just might be a genetic problem.

She laid there until the sun had just escaped the horizon before she was forced out of bed to attend the call of nature. She turned the shower on and figured she should get ready for her shift at the Helicarrier. She quickly shampooed and conditioned her hair before scrubbing down her skin. The water was feeling heavenly against her skin but she knew that she would need to get out soon as she flicked her wrist and shut down the water.

Towelling herself dry before she wrapped her hair up into a turban before padding out to her bedroom and started to randomly opening her drawers as she searched for clothing and underwear. Snorting when she seen her unmentionables hidden away from view. Quickly dressing before she ran a brush through her hair and styled a simple bun. She could grab a coffee and toast on her way out as she thought as she pushed her feet into her shoes. She swept her gaze around the room before she pulled opened the door and bumped into Steve as he was about to knock on the door.

"I'm terrible sorry, Natasha." Steve gushed before he stopped and rearranged his thoughts. A slight tint of red dusted his cheek bones.

"I'm fine Steve." Natasha smiled as she looked up at him. "What can I do for you?"

"I was going to escort you for breakfast." Steve chuckled as he held his elbow out for Natasha to take it. "Shall we, milady?"

"We shall, kind sir." Natasha affected in the perfect southern bell accent with a bat of her eyelashes. Steve threw his head back as laughter roared from him.

"You're just too good." A huge smile cracked against his face as his eyes twinkled with his joy.

"I do try." She smiled back at him. She was happy to see him without the walls that he had built around himself. "But I must demand an answer as to why you would escort me to breakfast?"

"It had been awhile that I enjoyed your company." Steve winked at her. It made her wonder what had cause such a good mood within him.

"That is true." Natasha conceded as they made their way into the dining room. Steve pulled a chair out for Natasha, who in turn eyed him wearily.

"No Natasha. You are a friend, more like a little sister." Steve murmured into her ear as he found his own spot at the table. An expression of sadness fluttered across his face for a brief moment.

"You can have the whole life," Natasha fingered her fork. "The wife and children!"

"No more than you can. At least you have the child." Steve smiled slightly as he glanced at her bump.

"Well Sasha was not exactly meant to be a possibility." Natasha smiled at the irony that the one thing that she thought the Red Room had remove was now living proof that a procedure had failed.

"Quite a turn around when you think about it?" Steve sipped at his coffee.

"Yes," Natasha laughed, feeling carefree for the first time in a long time. "Going from fear to acceptance."

"I was thinking denial." Steve quirked his brow as Natasha's mouth compressed slightly at the distaste topic of conversation. "Do you believe that he is gone?"

"Truth?" Natasha's accent bled through as Steve nodded his head in consent for her to continue on. "Some days, yes, I do but other days . . . Not so much."

"Grief is a difficult thing to handle on your own." Steve shook his head as he held his hand up. "Remember that I had woken to find everything that I knew, gone forever and everyone that I had ever loved. . ." A sigh escaped as his throat worked. "The pain never goes away. It stays with you until your dying day; like it to those demons that Clint always talked about."

"Really that difficult?" Natasha bowed her head.

"It means that we are only human." Steve smiled as he watched Natasha.

"Will you help me with Clint's room?" She chewed her lip as her eyes grew moist.

"We are always here for support." Steve smiled as he passed the toast to Natasha.

"So tell me, which one should I kill first?" Natasha mocked glare at her team leader.

"It was all on my own." Steve glanced around the room before winking at her. He was proud that they had faced he ghost that hung in every conversation. Clint was a strong friend, a very fine warrior and a honest no-nonsense man, who would be dearly missed by those closest to him. It was a shame that he would never get to know the child that he had fathered.

* * *

"So this is where they keep you locked up?" Coulson glanced around the tiny office that was buried in the back of some long forgotten department in the bowels of the Helicarrier.

"It feels like that some time." Natasha eyes touched his for a moment before she went back to the request form. "It seems that I don't play well with others."

"Who did you kill?" Coulson was slightly taken back as Natasha sniggered at him for his automatic retort.

"Who said that I didn't kill them?" She snorted as she placed that form into the chase pile. She eyed it as it continued to get bigger.

"Okay what happened than?" He folded his arms as he leant against the door jamb and studied the contradiction in front of him.

"It was just some stupid junior agent thought that he could make obscene suggestions. So I put him down hard." Natasha explained as she rolled her eyes and shoved that form onto the ever growing pile. "I didn't kill him."

"No just something far worst." Coulson chuckled at the image of her doing exactly what she said. "Male pride can be quite delicate."

"Sure." She shrugged her shoulders as she stared hard down at the paper. "You know he never recovered." She pierced him with a steady gaze. "It was like he was only to starting to live again before his last mission." Natasha scratched her forehead.

"I take he never knew." Coulson hedged.

"No. I didn't even know until a few weeks later." Natasha folded her arms over her chest. "Fat lot of good that was to me!" A tear rolled down her cheek.

"You are a strong woman, Nat." Phil moved into the room as tears silently slid down her cheeks. Her lips trembled as she struggled to keep the grief at bay. "What is the baby?"

"It's a boy. He left me to raise his son by my own." Natasha hic-cup as she closed her eyes. "I'm naming him Sasha."

"What does that mean?" Coulson crept slowly forward and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"It means protector and helper of mankind." Natasha placed her head in her hands and sobbed for the lost of her best friend and one time lover.

"That is a very fine name." Coulson consoled as he sat down in a chair. He was out of depth when he seen Natasha cry. He had honestly placed that on the never will see list.

"Yes and you're not forgiven just yet." Natasha wiped her eyes before she blew her nose.

"I know. It is some thing we both have to work at." Coulson stated as he stood up. "Want to help me teach a class?"

"I can't." Natasha smiled. "Bruce's orders, no training the troops."

"How about we use your perceptive view of techniques that could be improved?" Coulson smiled as Natasha smiled softly at him, making him decide that he liked this softer side.

"You drive a hard bargain." Natasha got up from her desk and bluntly ignore the growing pile.

"I hated the request forms as well." Phil eyed the growing pile. "Still seems that no one knows how to fill them out properly." He shuddered as he closed the door behind them.

"You did them before?" Natasha asked as they walked to the training room.

"Yeah, first steps to becoming a handler. It teaches you to make sure that your agents know how to fill the forms out properly. Fury must have someone in mind for specialised training for your skill set." Coulson commented as he pushed the doors opened to the small group of junior agents.

* * *

The room was quiet as Clint contemplated what the future could hold for him. His body was weary and he was truly blessed if he got more than two hours of sleep. He was use to the odd sleeping hours because as a sniper he would need to make the shot at any time. It was not his physical condition that bothered him but the fact that he never really said his goodbyes to those truly closest to him. It was this reflection that he never really gave himself time to marry and have a family. The only thing that he really had was his friendship with Nat, which he thinks in hindsight, would now be broken beyond repair.

He had given up trying to keep up the track of time as he waited to see what Alec was going to do next. He had thought that water torture was next on the menu. His brow furrowed as the open opened and the footsteps were light. The hands were decidedly more feminine than Alec's hands.

"Hi, I'm Sarah." She whispered as she checked his binds, her eyes taking in his breaded appearance. "If you want, I can shave this off." Her fingers traced the hair as she stared entranced by his hazel eyes. Clint blinked at her lazily as his mind had trouble comprehending what she was saying.

"Leave him alone, Sarah." Alec stood over her shoulder to study Clint's reaction. His fingers resting lightly upon her waist as Clint's eyes flicked to them for a moment. A knowing smirk tilted his lips before he closed his eyes.

"I'm not telling you anything." Clint slurred as his head rolled to the side. It had to be a side effect from the amount of drugs that were currently being flooded through his system.

"What is your name?" Alec asked as he held his eyelids open.

"James. . ." Clint tried to squint as he struggled to remember details. "Evens."

"Who do you work for?" Alec asked as he mentally made notes.

"I don't work for anyone." Clint gritted his teeth.

"Good." Alec rubbed his hands together as he glanced once more at Clint. He turned on his heel and moved towards the counter. "You are a stubborn one. I like that."

"How much longer do you think until the conditioning is to be completed?" Sarah asked as she continued to watch Clint.

"Unchartered area, my sweet." Alec tsked as he prepared the needle. He glanced once more before making a slight adjustment. Putting the vital down, he spun around and advanced towards Clint. "Hold his arm." Alec demanded as he dropped to his knees.

"No more." Clint grunted as he tried to move his arm and found he was not able too.

"Not much longer, Hawkeye." Alec smirked down at him. "I will know who you are and what organisation you work for." Alec grabbed Clint by the chin to look at him and hissed. "I will find the Black Widow."

"Playing with fire." Clint whispered before his face twisted as his muscles started to contract upon themselves.

"When he is finished, give him a bath. He stinks." Alec spat down before pushing himself to his full height. "He is resisting the truth serum."

"I thought that was not possible." Sarah watched the suffering man in awe.

"It isn't." Alec rubbed at his chin. He was at a complete lost on how to proceed from where they were. "Let me ponder this matter for a few hours. We know that his name is James Evens aka Hawkeye.

"Doesn't he work in the shadows?" Sarah asked while Alec was feeling like giving answers

"That is where assassins live and breed." Alec wrinkled his nose at the stench that the room was emitting. "Give it a few hours and than we'll clean this room."

* * *

Natasha was worn out as she placed her hand over her mouth to hide the yawn. She blinked as her eyes grew heavier and she knew that she would lose the fight to keep them open. Coulson was fading as she thought to close her eyes briefly for a little rest when she was startled awake when her head was lowered to the ground.

"Are you alright Nat?" Coulson's voice held a hint of worry as Natasha blinked. Her memory was clearly lacking as she stared around of the worried faces.

"I think so. I was just so tried." Natasha yawned again as her eyes fluttered.

"Can I call someone to help you?" Coulson racked his mind that could help move her.

"Yeah, both Steve and Bruce, either is fine." Natasha shifted onto her side as her eyes slid closed again.

"Do we have them on board?" Coulson shook her shoulder until he could see a hint of green between the slitted lids.

"Yes." She yawned before nestling her head on her arm.

"You, find me one of them now." Coulson ordered the younger agent.

"Who?" He stammered as he watched the Black Widow fall asleep on the training room floor.

"Either Captain America or Hulk." Coulson almost rolled his eyes at the clearly the slow witted recruit.

"Yes, sir." He saluted before he took of running out the door.

"Hope he doesn't get Bruce." Natasha muttered. "He can be a little protective of us." Natasha smiled just before they heard a roar echo through the area.

"Hulk?" Coulson asked before pushing everyone back fro Natasha's resting form. "You do not want to be seen as a threat." He warned just as the door was ripping off it hinges by Hulk.

"Natasha right." Hulk grunted as he glared at everyone.

"Just tired and need a lift." Natasha smiled as her eyes opened to glance up at her self proclaimed protector.

"Sure." Hulk moved forward as he gently scooped the fragile female into his arms, cradling both mother and child to his chest. "Where do I go?"

"This way." Coulson stepped and directed them back to a spare room that had been established for Natasha when she needed to rest. He laid her down gently before Coulson pulled a blanket around her shoulders.

"Thanks." Bruce muttered once he shrunk back down to human size.

"What happened?" Coulson glanced at he near naked man.

"Some one was calling my name and mentioned about Natasha needing my help." Bruce looked sheepish as he pulled a shirt over his upper torso. "Hulk wanted to help without listening to what was needed."

"Yeah, we gathered that." Coulson continued to study the young man in front of him.

"What surprises me is how easily he allowed me to surface again." Bruce lips curled before he shook his head. "I shouldn't be surprised. This baby is changing us all."

"I know what you mean." Coulson nodded his head before leaving the room.

"Thank you Bruce and thank the Hulk from us." Natasha yawned as she snuggled deeper into her blanket. Her body shutting down as Bruce studied her for a moment to make sure that she was alright.

"He already knows, Natasha." Bruce smiled as Natasha snored softly which indicated that she was tired and had not been sleeping very well at all.

* * *

The day was slowly slipping away as a sound of a pen scratching across paper could be heard. The only other sound that was filling the silence was the crackling fire. Sarah leaned her head back as she continued to gaze out of the glass. This latest storm had blown up from out of nowhere and had been raging for the last few hours. Closing her eyes as she felt despair sink deeply within her bones as the coldness flowed as her blood. She wrapped her arms around herself to aide in warmth as she started to shiver violently.

"The subject has proven to a robust character as the subject struggled to fight the truth serum." Alec muttered out loud before placing his pen down and his shifting to the ice that falling past the window pane. "Which would be impossible to do considering the strength of the serum."

"You keep saying that." Sarah injected but closed her mouth at the venomous look that she received. Almost cowering as his brows drew tightly together, a sure sign of his mounting anger and displeasure with her.

"I do not need to be reminded of all that I say." Alec spat as he stood up. "It is of the utmost importance that this phase works before we continue on with this experiment." His boot heels thudded against the wooden planks of the floor.

"And why would that be?" Sarah queried as she watch Alec pace in front of her. She had an idea of what he meant but she wanted it confirmed for her own benefit.

"It is so much easier if you are able to play with the memories. Layer them if you will. Truth with lies and the subject would not even know the difference." Alec rubbed his hands together as he spun upon his heel when he glanced down at the watch that he was wearing. "We need to clean Mr Evens."

"What organisation do you think that he works for?" Sarah stood and arched her tired back. She had never been so inactive for such a long period of time.

"I thought one of those big shadowy American one." Alec opened the door and turned the light to see that Clint was resting peaceful. "But they would have already came for him, if that was the case."

"Is that why you keep calling him Hawkeye?" Sarah brow furrowed into confusion.

"In a way." Alec muttered as he attempted to pick up Clint who looked lightly than he actually was. "He is heavy."

"Muscle weighs more than fat." Sarah chirped before slapping a hand over her runaway tongue. "I'm sorry." She glanced down at her feet as they dragged him across the room.

"This will do." Alec panted lightly as he figured a way to bathe Clint without waking him up. The only option that seemed to be opened was the sleeping chemicals that he had been using so far. "Grab me the pink vital with the pale yellow one."

"Here you are." Sarah stated a few moments later after she had scrambled to the counter that he had indicated.

"You are a good assistant." Alec mocked the young woman as he drew the desired amount of liquids and injected them into Clint's blood stream. "That should keep him down for a while."

"I'll start cleaning." She stammered as she slowly backed away from the maniacal man. A feral look had entered his eyes as he stared at her for quite some time.

"Clean him first." Alec demanded as Sarah nodded her head and went to find water and soap. She had also found some towels as she gathered them into a pile and made her way back to the room. Her despairing feeling was spiralling out of control. She knew that look all too well. "Strip!"

"But. . ." Sarah bit the inside of her cheek as she watched him unbuckle his belt. Her body tensing as he slid it through the loops before folding it in half.

"You know exactly what I want, Sarah. Do I have to punish you to get what I want?" He asked rhetorically as he stepped forward. The smell of her fear making his insides quiver with anticipation.

"I don't want too." Sarah muttered as she hung her head.

"Why? Have you not been panting after him like a #!*% in heat?" Alec sneered as he stepped forward. "You were promised to me by your mother to do as I pleased." His hand came up to cup her face before sliding it down to her throat.

"Alec." Sarah pleaded as she felt his fingers starting to constrict. "I'll do it." Tears tracked down her face as her hands came up to their task.

"He is very handsome, is he not?" Alec asked gently as he tilted her head up and lightly pressed his lips to hers. "Remember that you are mine, little one." Sarah nodded her head. It was the only way that she would live to see another day if she listened and obey to his demands. No matter how sickening they were, it was her lot in life.

* * *

Fury folded his hands behind his back as he stared down at the people that were moving around the halls. His musing were cut short when he felt a presence stand at his left shoulder. He acknowledged his second in command before turning his attention back to the milling personnel.

"They look like an army of ants." Maria observed as she intently watched the Director.

"Yes they do." His sigh was barely audible but she caught the weight of it.

"We have found out who Alec Chegiov is." Maria stated as she continued to watch Fury's shoulders stiffen at this information.

"I'm not going to like this, am I?" Nick breathed in deeply.

"As we know that he was a chemical engineer for mother Russia but what we didn't know was that he liked to create different serums. We are speaking about some very specialised concoctions."

"How specialised are we talking?" His brow lifted as he turned to gaze at Maria. She held his undivided attention.

"Well the possibilities are that he has created so far are sleeping and truth serums but rumours have stated that he has made a mind wipe serum." Maria folded her arms over her chest before casting her gaze down below them.

"That would be very specialised." Fury grunted as this new organisation was starting to be a thorn in his side.

"And very potent if it ever came to fruition." Maria agreed. "He was recruited by Three Red Band to help develop the Black Widow serum but they had discovered only one problem."

"And what would that be?" Fury already knew the answer.

"They need a blood sample of the most successful Black Widow to date, meaning they are after Natasha." Maria confirmed with a nod of her head. "Which would also explain as to why Hawkeye had been targeted; I think he is the bait."

"To play upon attachments by capturing the one thing that Widow holds near and dear to her cold heart." Fury smirked at this information.

"Though, it does classify as current but also out of date information." Maria smiled.

"Yeah, no one would think that pregnancy had sidelined the Widow." Fury shook his head. "We need to mount a rescue for Barton and deal with this organisation."

"How do you propose that, Director Fury?" Maria glanced at him in disbelief.

"I know where he is." Nick's eyes danced with laughter. "Remember I was the one that arranged all the details because I did not want his status compromised."

"I understand that." Maria tilted her head in confusion.

"I gave him a cellular with tracker, which I'm surprised that he didn't rip it out at the first opportune time." Nick stated as he spun around on his heels. "I want satellite images, weather reports and a possible extraction team on my desk by fifteen hundred hours. We are going after Barton." Nick threw over his shoulder.

"I'll get right onto it." Maria snapped to attention. "And still manage to find a few hours of shut eye."

* * *

I realise that this chapter is slightly more darker than my usual writings. Tell me what you think? Good or bad. So until next time, have a good one! ;D


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